LOffilv
' S CROSS, L &NTW
LIVES
THE CAMBRO BRITISH
OF THE FIFTH AND IMMEDIATE SUCCEEDING CENTURIES,
FROM ANCIENT m*l*1) & 3Catilt JR9S.IN THE BRITISH
MUSEUM AND ELSEWHERE, WITH ENGLISH
TRANSLATIONS, AND EXPLANATORY
NOTES;
BY THE KEV, W^J^REES, M.A, F.S.A.
RECTOR OF CASCOB, RADNORSHIRE, PREBENDARY OF BRECKNOCK, AND MEMBER
OF THE CAMBRIAN ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, ETC.
PUBLISHED FOR
LLANDOVERY:
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY WILLIAM REES ; LONDON,
LONGMAN, & CO ; ABERGAVENN Y, J. H. MORGAN,
MDCCCLIIJ.
B/?
LIBRARY
§9478
lira. Cmntup Cljirltnail, D
Inri 36istjnp nf
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nimm aqmrmBnts ruatib Jjini, tn tnfe nn sniall
inlnwl uittlj tff?rt IE suhptts nf Stntqttarintt
frnm ttttjnm tljB (BMtnr lias rBrriuBi mml mrirks n
HB5H; tljB fnllnming 10nrk; mElEming ttjB life nf jiis W
prcterar, tljB abtonbi it. toii, mill .nf ntjicr riimirnt
(Cnmten 36ritislj iniufe; ttEHSttitei nni trniislntti from
II. is waprtfellti Wrabi, bj nut nf tljt
nf Inng stauMng IE Ijis Inrisjiif 's Binrrsr,
EEi |is faitjjfel
totuli, H
<OES Y BYU I'R IAITH GYMRAEG."
for tfte yuftlication of SUwent
patroness,
HER MOST GRACIOUS MAJESTY QUEEN VICTORIA.
^patroni?etJ also tip
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE ALBERT,
HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUCHESS OF KENT.
HIS IMPERIAL HIGHNESS THE CZAREVECH THE HEREDITARY GRAND DUKE
ALEXANDER OF RUSSIA.
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF POWIS
Uice=prcstHents ,
His Grace The DUKE OF BEAUFORT, K.G. The Right Hon. CONSEILLER JOUKOVSKY.
His Grace The DUKE OF NEWCASTLE K.G. The Hon. E. LLOYD MOSTYN, M.P.
His Grace The DUKE OF SUTHERLAND. BERIAH BOTFIELD, of Norton Hall, Esq. M.P.
The 3Iost Hon. The MARQUESS OK CAMDEN. SIR STEPHEN R. GLYNNE, Bart. M.P.
The Most Hon. The MARQUESS OF ANGLESEY. W. ORMSBY GORE, of Porkington, Esq. M.P.
The Right Hon. The EARL OF SHAFTESBURY. SIR B. HALL, of Llanover, Bart. M.P.
The Right Hon. The EARL OF DUNRAVEN. J. H. VIVIAN, of Singleton, Esq. M.P.
The Right Hon. The EARL CAWDOR, F.R.S. SIR CHARLES MORGAN, of Tredegar, Bart.
The Right Rev. The LORD BISHOP OF St. DAVID'S. OCTAVIUS MORGAN, of Tredegar, Esq. M.P.
The Right Hon. LORD DYNEVOR. SIR J. WALMSLEY, OF Wavertree Hall. M P.
The Right Hon. LORD MOSTYN. COLONEL WOOD, of Littleton, Middlesex.
The Right Hon. LORD MILFORD. W. A. WILLIAMS, Esq. of Llangiby Castle.
His Excellency The CHEVALIER BUNSEN, Prussian Minister Plenipotentiary.
His Excellency MONS. VAN DER WEYEK, Belgian Minister Plenipotentiary.
Committee,
Sir Benjamin Hall, of Llanover, Monmouthshire, Bart. M.P., Chairman.
Octavius Morgan, of Tredegar, Monmouthire,Esq., M.P. F.R.S., F.G.S., &c.
John Bruce Pryce, of Dyftryn, Glamorganshire, Esquire.
William Williams, of Aberpergwm, Glamorganshire, Esquire.
Rev. W. J. Rees. M.A. F.S.A., Cascob Rectory, Radnorshire.
Rev. John Evans, Llanover Vicarage, Monmouthshire.
"Editors antt Collators of .ptanuscripts,
Rev. W. J. Rees M.A.F.S.A. Cascob, Radnorshire. Rev. J.Williams, M.A.(Ab Ithel,) Llanymowddy,
Rev. E van E vans, (IcuanGlangeirionydd,) Chester. John Pughe, Esq. Penhelyg House, Aberdovey.
Corresponding |*l embers,
WALES.
Booker, T. W. of Vclindre, Cardiff, Esq. M.P. Lloyd, J. of Dinas, Breconshire, Esq.
Bridges, Right lion. Sir Harford Jones, Bart. Parry, Rev. H. M.A. Llanasa, Flintshire.
Conybeare, The Very Rev. W. D. Dean of Llandaff. Salusbury, Rev. Sir. Charles Bart, of Llamvern.
Dillwyn L. W. of Sketty Hall, Esq. F.R.S. &c. Traherne, Rev. J. M. M.A. F.R.S. &c. of Coed-
G. G. Francis, Esq. F.S.A. Swansea. Williams, Miss, of Aberpergwm, [riglan.
Guest, Lady Charlotte, Dowlais, Glamorganshire. Williams, Miss. Jane of Aberpergwm.
Hall, Lady, of Llanover, (Gwenynen Gwent). Williams, Venerable Archdeacon, M.A. F.R.S.E.
Johnes, Arthur James, Esq. Garthmyl. &c. Llandovery.
Johnes, J. Esq. of Dolaucothy, Carmarthenshire. Williams.TheRev.H ,M. A. Chancellorof Llandaff.
Llewellin, The Very Rev. Lie. D.C.L. Lampeter. Williams, Rev. John, M.A. &c, of Llanymowddy.
Lloyd, Rev. H. R. M.A., of Danyrallt, Carmarthen Williams. Rev. R. M.A. Ysceifiog. Flintshire.
ENGLAND, &c.
Clough, Rev. A. B., B.D. F.S.A. Jes. Coll. Oxford. Mackenzie, J. Witefoord, Esq. W.S. Edinburgh.
Evans, Rev. R. W., M.A. Trin. Coll. Cambridge. Petit, L. II. Esq. F.R.S. F.S.A. &c London.
Hughes, John, Esq. Inner Temple, London. Phillipps, Sir T. Bart. F.R.S. F.S.A., Middle Hill,
James. Rev D., M.A. F.S.A. Kirk<iale, Liverpool. Williams, P. B. Esq., India Board, London.
Secretaries,
HONORARY SECRETARY. — Rev. John Evans, Llanover Vicarage, Abergavenny.
HONORARY FOREIGN SECRETARY. — Monsier Rio, of Llanarth, Monmouthshire.
Messrs. Williams. Deacon, and Co. London. Messrs. Jones, Loyd, and Co. London.
HAS been formed for the purpose of transcribing and printing the more important ol
the numerous unpublished Bardic and Historieal Remains of Wales, still extant in the
Principality, and other parts of the world, that have hitherto been allowed to continue
in a state of obscurity, without any effective measures being adopted to lay their contents
before the public, and secure them from the various accidents to which they are liable.
[n addition to the general decay which, from their perishable nature, these venerable relics
have been for ages undergoing, whole collections have, within a short space of time,
been destroyed by fire ; and of those MSS. dispersed throughout the country, numbers
known to have existed a few years ago, are now no where to be found.
Besides the interest which these ancient documents possess, as objects of antiquarian
curiosity, and as contributing to the elucidation of British History, they have a claim to
attention of a far more general character, as being intimately connected with the origin
and progress of modern European Literature; for it is among the legends and traditions
of the "Welsh that many of the materials are to be found, which supplied the nations of
the Continent with their earliest subjects of composition, and produced those highly
imaginative works that continue to exercise so powerful an influence to the present day,
A great mass of Historical information, relating to the thirteenth, fourteenth, and
fifteenth centuries, is contained in the unpublished Poetry of Wales ; from which an
intimate acquaintance with the state of Society during those periods may be obtained ;
the Welsh Bards being the Chroniclers of the times in which they lived, and their Poems
chiefly addressed to the leading men of the day. Besides Poetry, there is still existing
unpublished a large collection of Prose, both Historical and Legendary.
The first Work that engaged the attention of the Committee, was the LIBER LAN-
DAVENsis, or LLYFR TEILO, comprising nearly 700 Royal 8vo. pages; gratuitously edited
and translated by the Rev. W. J. Rees, M. A. F.S.A. &c. has been for some time before the
Public.
The second Work issued by the Society, the HERALDIC VISITATIONS OP WALES, AND ITS
MARCHES, by LEWYS DWNN, Deputy Herald at Arms, Temp. Elizabeth, was put into the
Press at the joint risk of the Society and the Publisher, and was completed in two very
large Imperial Quarto "Volumes, under the gratuitous and able superintendence of the
late SIR SAMUEL RUSH MEYRICK, K.H. LL.D. F.S.A. &c., assisted by W.W. E. Wynne,
Esq. M.P., and Mr. Joseph Morris, of Shrewsbury.
The third of the Society's Works consists of the IOLO MSS. being a MISCELLANEOUS
SELECTION OF ANCIENT WELSH MSS. in Prose and Poetry, from the originals collected
by the late Edward Williams, (lolo Morganwg] for the purpose of forming a continuation
of the Myvyrian Archaiology, and afterwards proposed to be used as materials for a New
History of Wales. Edited with Notes and Translations, by his son, the late TALIESIN
AB IOLO, of Merthyr Tydvil. This work in consequence of the serious illness, and sub
sequent death of its Editor, was completed by the late Rev. T. Price, Carnhuanawc, and
published a short time before his decease.
The present Volume, the LIVES OF THE CAMBRO BRITISH SAINTS, from Ancient MSS. in
the British Museum and elsewhere, has been gratuitously prepared for the press and edi-
ed by the Editor of the LIBER LANDAVENSIS, the Rev. W. J. Rees, M.A. F.S.A. &c. and
will be followed immediately by the Works enumerated below : —
The MEDDYGON MYDDFAI, or a Compendium of the Medical Practice of the celebrated
Rhiwallon and his Sons, Cadwgan, Gruffydd, and Einion, of Myddfai, in Caermarthen-
shire, Physicans to Rhys Gryg, lord of Dynevor and Ystrad Towy, son of Gruffydd ap
Rhys, the last Prince of South Wales, about the year 1230. — Edited by John Pughe,
Esq. M.R.C.S. of Penhelyg House, Aberdovey.
The Ancient WELSH GRAMMAR made by EDEYRN DAFOD AUR, at the injunction and
desire of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, (prince of Wales from 1254 to 1282,) Rhys Vychan,
lord of Dynevor and Ystrad Towy; and Morgan Vychan, lord paramount of Morganwg.
Edited by the Rev. John Williams, (Ab Ithel,) M.A. Editor of the Archseologia Cam-
brensis, and Author of the Ecclesiastical Antiquities of the Cymry, &c. &c
A New Edition of the MYVYRIAN ARCHAIOLOGY OF WALES, with ENGLISH TRANSLA
TIONS, is being prepared for the Press, and will be published so soon as a sufficient number
of Subscribers is obtained to defray the expense of printing. It will comprise four
or five Volumes, Royal Octavo, price to Subscribers 21s. each.
The following MSS. have also been recommended for Publication. — LLYFR COCH LLAN-
ELWY or the Red Book of St. Asaph.— CHRONICLES OF WALES, in the Lambeth Library.
— CHRONICLES OF WALKS, in the Record Office.— The ineditcd matter of the LLYFR COCH
o HERGEST, in the Library of Jesus College, Oxford — REGISTRUM PRIORATUS DE BRECK
NOCK. — ANCIENT RECORDS, Temp. Edward III. belonging to the Manor Court of Ruthin.
«})e following collection of " Lives," consists of legend-
ary biographical_accounts of several pious persons, who
in the~early age of the ancient British Church, obtained great
eminence and distinction in Wales ; and were called SAINTS
on account of their withdrawing themselves from secular
concerns, and devoting their time and attention to reli
gious matters, and particularly to the building of churches,
and the founding of pious institutions.
The publication of the work was undertaken by the Welsh
MSS. Society, in order to supply a desideratum in the liter
ature of our country, by so far completing the series of the
Lives of the most celebrated of the Cambro British Saints
commenced in the Liber Landavensis, as to form a con
tinuation and be a companion volume to that work, the
Lives in both being of the same character, and apparently
written about the same time.
The purpose for which, these and similar "Lives" were
compiled, was to give information how the holy persons that
they commemorate lived, and to set their mode of living
as an example for others to follow, and accordingly they
were appointed to be read in time of, and as part of divine
service, whereby the hearers would receive a knowledge of
the various particulars of their conduct, and be excited to
imitate them. And being thus read for the purpose of
conveying religious instruction and inciting to pious con-
Vlll. PREFACE.
duct, they were called Legends, in contradistinction to Hom
ilies, or Discourses, which latter were spoken, and intended
to promote the religious edification of the hearers by Pre
cept, as the design of these Lives was to effect the same
purpose by Example.
The days of the year, on which these Lives of the Saints
were appointed to be thus publicly read, were those of their
festivals, which were the days of their death, and considered
to be their birth days, being those whereon they entered into
a state of happiness; on which days, their good deeds were
related by reading such Lives as are herein recorded ; and
the very solemn language, in which these Lives were writ
ten, and particularly concluded, and of which the Collects
connected with them consisted, evinces the desire that a
deep impression should be made on the hearers ; of which
Collects, specimens are given in this volume connected with
St. David,1 and St. Curig;2 the like to which, were in the
same manner uttered after the public reading of the Lives
of all other Saints.
The time when these "Lives" were compiled,3 is not
known, but it was probably about the twelfth century, when
the descendants of the Norman invaders were desirous to
render more intimate the connection that existed between
the British and Roman Churches, and to conciliate the Welsh
by writing favourable particulars of their national Saints,
whom they venerated. And it may be concluded that all those
Lives were originally written in Latin, it being a general
language known to the Clergy, and that they were subse
quently abridged and translated by them into Welsh to be
read in their churches. And we have in this work a speci
men of the manner in which it was done, in the Lives of
1 Pages 144, 447. 2 Pages 276, 609. 3 It has been observed that a good deal of the Life
of St. Illtyd is in Hexameter Verse, and it is thought that other parts of it arc in Rhyme,
PREFACE. IX
St. David, where the former of the two, in Welsh,1 is an
abridgement of the latter in Latin; 2 in the same way, as in a
later period, some of the Cambro British Clergy translated
and adapted English sermons to suit their Welsh congre
gations.
The Lives of the Saints being of so much importance,
and used regularly in public worship, it may be concluded
that at one time copies of them were numerous, but as
few of them are at present to be met with, the scarcity
may be attributed to the circumstance, that when a change
was taking place in the religion of the country, great pains
would be taken to destroy what would be considered to
uphold the old system. The Editor is not aware whether
there is any ancient collection of the Lives of the Welsh
(or more properly the Cymric) Saints, besides those in the
British Museum, and a few separate single ones in the
collection of the Earl of Macclesfield, and in the library of
Jesus College, Oxford, from which sources the Lives in
this Volume have been extracted. In the year 1366, a
collection of them was written by John of Tinmouth, a
monk of St. Alban's, of which there is a copy in the Cotton-
ian library,3 but being illegible from the effects of fire, it
cannot be ascertained whether the Lives therein recorded
are the same as those in this volume, or are abridgements.
A collection of the Lives of the English Saints, extracted
from the said work of John of Tinmouth, was published
by John Capgrave, an Austin friar, in 1516;4 arid the
learned Jesuits at Antwerp, Bolandus and his continuators
1 Pages 102, 402. 2 Pages 117, 418. 3 Sanctilogium Johannis Tinmuthensis. Tiberius
E 1. 18 f. It has been supposed that there is a copy of this MS. in the Lambeth Library,
but on examination it was found that what is there written by John of Tinmouth is not
the Sanctilogium, but Extracts from various authors re?pecting the origin of the Britons.
4 Nova Legenda Angliao 1516.
2
X PREFACE.
have, ill their voluminous work, commenced in the year
1643, 1 given several particulars of the Cambro-British
Saints, but on collating them, what they both contain were
found to be abridgements of those inserted in this volume.
Another work which contains abridgements of the same
Lives, is that of the Rev. Alban Butler, with the title of "The
Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Principal Saints;"2 and
lately a work was published with the title of "The Cister
cian Saints in England", and afterwards called "The Lives
of the English Saints,"3 which contains an abridged Life of
the Cambro-British Saint Gundleus (Gwynllyw.)
With respect to the materials, from which these Lives
were written, it may be observed that in the Life of St.
David, herein inserted, the writer states that he had collected
what had been found in the most ancient writings of the
country, which, although corroded by the constant devour
ing of moths, and a long series of years, had escaped.4
(And it may be concluded that the writers of the other
Lives had similar materials to work with ; and that their
foundation was in general truth, although they were prin
cipally intended to excite devotion, by exalting and perhaps
exaggerating the meritorious deeds, and dignity of the
canonized Saints, yet they incidentally exhibit information
to be sought for in vain elsewhere.M
Respecting the authority of the various miracles herein
related to have been performed by the Saints, the reader
will of course form his own opinion. It may however be
observed, that Roman Catholic writers have not unanimous
1 Acta Sanctorum collecta, digesta, notis illustrata, J. Bollando et aliis, Antwerp. 50
vol. fol. 1643—1736. 2 Of this work there are several editions, the third in 12 vol. 8vo.
Edinburgh, 1798, and the last, 2 vol. 8vo. Dublin and London, 1838. :< This work
was commenced in 1844, and the 14th part was published in 1845. 12mo, London.
* Page 446. 5 "Monuments Historica Britannica," fol. London, 1848. Page 39.
PREFACE. XI
sentiments relating to them; while one tells us that there
is no reason why they should not be received as matters of
fact, and that there is nothing in them to repel a properly
taught, and religiously disposed mind ; l another informs us
that the Lives of the Saints, are not to be considered as
strict biographies but as edifying stories composed from
tradition, and designed not so much to relate facts as to
produce a religious impression on the mind of the hearer.2
In " Butler's Lives of the Saints," the author tells us that
entirely to omit the mentioning of miracles would be an
infidelity in history, yet he is very sparing in giving an
account of them, deeming it sufficient to refer the reader
to the original records.3 Whereas in the said "Lives of
the English Saints," lately published, they are particularly
related according to their deemed importance.
In the arrangement of the Lives related in this volume,
regard is paid to the letters of the alphabet commencing
the names of the Saints, whereby the reader is enabled to
find the more readily the Life of any particular Saint
wanted; except in the case of St. David, where the Welsh
Life being the shortest, is placed before that which follows,
as introductory to it. And the reader is further informed
that the Lives in the Appendix were placed therein, be
cause they were not of Cambro-British Saints, but were,
notwithstanding, connected with Wales: the two former,
those of St. Catharine and St. Margaret, being in the
Welsh Language, and the Saints themselves having Welsh
churches dedicated to them; and with respect to the three
latter, those of St. Aidus, St. Brendanus, and St. Tathan,
1 "Lives of the English Saints," No. 2, Advertisement to the Life of St. Richard,
Pages iii, iv. 2 "Lives of the English Saints," No. 4. Life of St. Nects. Page 74.
Introductory discourse to Butler's Lives of the Saints, Pages xlv, xlvi.
xil PREFACE.
the Saints, although natives of Ireland, had passed much of
their time in the Welsh country. The other articles intro
duced in the Appendix are connected with the main subject
of the volume, and in accordance with the objects of the
Welsh MSS. Society.
I These "Lives" are deemed of considerable importance
in indicating the manners and customs, habits and feelings
of the people of the ages, in which they were compiled.
An able Reviewer, in the Athenaeum, states that a perusal
of such Memoirs was "absolutely necessary to all who
would understand the condition of the Ancient British
Church, and of ancient British Society." He further sug
gests that " a work on the Church of Wales, with full Bio
graphies of the more ancient Saints, and an inquiry into
the state of Literature and Manners from the earliest period,
to the time of Giraldus Cambrensis, if compiled not merely
from Welsh Publications, but also from the MSS. dispersed
in Libraries throughout the country, would be of exceeding
value, and of exceeding interest ;" and it may be said, would
form an appropriate sequel to the Essay of the late Pro
fessor Rees, on the Welsh Saints. The Liber Laiidavensis
and the present Work supply many requisite materials,
which have been gleaned from the ancient MSS. to which
the Reviewer refers, and it is hoped that some competent
person will undertake to complete the Inquiry which he
suggests; and which has been partially accomplished in
the two very able works, " Williams's Ecclesiastical Anti
quities of the Cymry," and "Stephens's Literature of the
Kymry." The province of the Welsh MSS. Society being
the publication of original MSS. with translations and
Notes, leaves to the future historian the office of eluci
dating the particulars, and reducing the several related
facts into regular history.
PREFACE. Xlll
The "Lives" now presented to the public were Transcri
bed from original MSS. deposited in the British Museum,
and elsewhere; and were partially prepared for the Press
by the late lamented Rev. T. Price, Carnhuanawc; they
were subsequently re-copied and carefully collated with the
originals by the present Editor, who takes pleasure in
acknowledging the courtesy he received from the officers
in attendance at the British Museum, in readily supplying
him with such MSS. as he wished to procure for the pur
pose of making extracts. He likewise acknowledges with
pleasure the kindness he received from the Principal and
Fellows of Jesus College, Oxford, in permitting him to
make extracts from MSS. in their Library; and from the
late Earl of Macclesfield, who once allowed him access to
the valuable collection in his Lordship's possession, formerly
the property of the celebrated Welsh scholar, the Rev.
MoseS Williams. Unfortunately he was unable to make
more extensive transcripts in consequence of a fall which he
had, that obliged him to return home, and after his recovery
His Lordship did not find any time convenient to allow him
to return and complete his projected labours, which had he
been enabled to do, the present volume would have been
rendered still more interesting.
The Editor also feels pleasure in returning his thanks to
Howel W. Lloyd, Esq. of St. Leonard's on the Sea, for
supplying him with copies of the Hymns to St. Curig ; l and
to the eminent Irish paleologist, Eugene Curry, Esq. for
restoring, and translating the ancient Irish sentences in the
Life of St. Aidus.2 There is so much matter in the present
volume of interest common to Wales and Ireland, that the
1 Pages 276, 609. 2 Page 573.
xjv PREFACE.
Editor hopes it may, in some measure, tend to the study of
Irish Antiquities in Wales, and of Welsh Antiquities in
Ireland. It is with pleasure that he has witnessed the
connexion, now on the increase, between the Antiquaries
of both countries, and he cannot but feel that many fresh
facts would be elicited, and those known, elucidated by
mutual acquaintance with each others ancient literature.
To J. Bruce Pryce, Esq. the Editor is indebted, for his
readiness and zeal in assisting to identify some of the old
boundaries described in this Work, for which he returns him
his thanks; and also to the Rev. D. Morgan, of Llancarvan,
and Mr. Edward Thomas, of Llanbethery, for their kind
assistance in identifying places mentioned in the Life of
St. Cadoc. To J. O. Westwood, Esq. the Editor considers
that not only he himself, but also the whole Principality is
deeply indebted for the preservation of correct copies of the
Inscriptions on the ancient monumental stones of Wales.
The very accurate, and spirited representation of the Cross
of St. Illtyd, given as a frontispiece to this volume, is from
his pencil, and is doubtless valuable, and was likely to have
become much more so, for in a short time afterwards, the
hands of a ruthless engineering contractor would have
completely destroyed the ancient monuments at Lantwit
Major, where this monumental cross is placed, had not the
evil been averted through the exertions, and remonstrances
of some of the members of the Cambrian Archaeological
Association.
Lastly, in closing the list, and returning thanks to the
kind persons, who have rendered assistance to the Editor in
^preparing the volume, he deems it his duty, most cordially
to return his thanks to Thomas Wakeman, Esq. for the very
valuable Notes, which he was so good as to communicate,
PREFACE. XV
both with respect to passages in this work, and the sup
plementary ones to the Liber Landavensis; his intimate
acquaintance with the early history of the Armorican
Britons enabling him to adjust several difficult points in the
chronology of the History of Wales; in all of which he
has shewn deep research, and an extensive knowledge of
the ancient and present state of the locality of the district.
By means of the assistance which the Editor has thus
received, and his own individual exertions, he anxiously
hopes that, notwithstanding the difficulties he had to en
counter, owing to the distance between the place of his
residence, and those places where the MSS. were depos
ited, and the occasional obscurities in the MSS. them
selves, a volume is produced, which will be satisfactory, not
only to the Committee and Members of the Welsh MSS.
Society, but also to the Subscribers to the work, and the
Public in general.
Ctateik
I. LIFE OF SAINT BRYNACH.— TRANSLATED FROM THE LATIN.
SAINT BRYNACH deduced his origin from illustrious ancestors, and embraced the service
of God from his infancy. He travels through various countries in his younger years
sowing the seeds of religion. He comes to Rome, in the neighbourhood of which, he
by prayer kills a pestilential beast. He travels to Lesser Britain where he remains
many years, and performed important beneficial acts, and great miracles. He removes
to Milford in Pembrokeshire, where he withstands the attacks of a nobleman's daughter
to injure him. He fixes on a place of residence by the river Gwain, and afterwards on
the Never, and at length becomes settled on the banks of the Caman. He has an alterca
tion with Maelgon, king of Wales, who is ultimately reconciled, and grants to him an
exemption from all regal tribute, with the jurisdiction of the land of Telych. After the
performance of many great miracles, he is removed to eternal blessedness. Latin, from
5th to 12th page— English 289—298. t
II. LIFE OF SAINT BEINO.— FROM THE WELSH.
Saint Beino was born when his parents were in advanced age. He is instructed by
Saint Tangusius, and noticed by king Ynyr Gwent. He goes to Maun, son of Broch-
mael, and has given to him Berriew, in Montgomeryshire. He comes to Meivod in the
same country, where he remains for some time with Saint Tysilio. From thence he goes
to Cynan, son of Brochmael, and has given to him Gwyddelwern. Leaving that place,
he goes to the banks of the Dee, and obtains from Temic, a place to pray to God, and
a township, where he built a church, and consecrated it to God. This Temic was the
son of Eliud, and had a beautiful daughter named Winefred Winefred refusing to
submit to the criminal desires of king Caradoc, is killed by him at the entrance into
the church. She is restored to life by Saint Beino, and at the place where her blood was
shed arose Saint Winefred 's Well in Flintshire. Saint Beino prays to God that Cara
doc might not be spared on account of his crime, and he melted into a pool, and was no
more seen in this world. Saint Beino goes to Cadwallon, son of Cadvan, and has given
to him Gwaredawc, in Arvon. This place being claimed, he goes to Caernarvon, and has
the township of Kelynawn granted him by Guideuit. He., restores to life a daughter of
king Ynyr Gwent, who had been killed by her husband. And after the perTornTance of
many other miracles, and giving meat to the hungry, and drink to the thirsty, clothing
to the naked, lodging to strangers, visiting the sick, and conferring important benefits on
various persons, departed joyfully to heaven. Welsh, page 13 — 21. Translation, 299 — 308.
III. LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.— FROM THE LATIN. ,XA
Saint Cadoc the son of Gwynllyw king of Gwynllwg, was baptized by the name of
Cathmail, and instructed by Meuthi. Tidus is punished for refusing to give fire to
Cadoc. Cadoc departs from his instructor, seeks a place for the worship of God, and
builds. a monastery. He sails to Ireland, and comes to the principal men of the country
named LisnioTe^Muchutu. He returns and settles in the district of Brycheiniog, where
he is instructed by Bachan. He performs a miracle_j;here by procuring corn for the fa
mishing poor, which becomes known to his grand7ather, Brychan, then resident at Llan-
spyddid. He returns to his principal monastery at Llancarvan. He undertakes a long
XV111. CONTENTS.
journey, and in his absence Saint David assembles a large synod at Brevi. He lands in
the island of Grimbul, where a queen who was barren became pregnant through means
of his prayer, and_ brings forth a. son.. who was named Elli. He goes through Greece and
iTenlsHtem, and returns to the island of Grimbul. Is displeased with Saint David for hold
ing the synod in his absence, but is appeased by an angel. He goes to the islands of
Barreu and Echni, and to Nantcarvan, where he daily fed.. fiOO -persons. Performing
ajniracle by causing robbers to be swallowed up"aiive. Illtyd is thereby converted. He
I goee to a city near the river Neath, and raises to life an arcFitect named Linguri, who was
l dead. Ha^a^dispute withking ^rtVpuy ftn^JVirgiv^ hi pi He restores eyesight to
king Rhun an dliis servants, "who had become blind, and delivers Rhun from the hands
of the men of Gwynllvvg. He goes to Scotland and there performs miracles. He returns
to Llancarvan, and hospitably entertains Saint Gildas, who was taking a spotted bell to
Rome, which was intended for the Pope, but ultimately it became possessed of by Saint
Cadoc. He attends his father on his death-bed, and receives from him grants of much
property. By his prayers, wolves were changed into stones, and in Cornwall a health-bear
ing fountain is produced by him. He goes to Rome, and passes through districts in France
^ and Italy where places were built by the Saints. He comes to Armorica, and erects
therein an elegant church which place he leaves and comes to his church at Llancarvan.
He restores a bridge overthrown by a flood, and causes a man to be deprived of the sight
of one eye, who had unlawfully beheld the monuments of his hearers. He appoints his dis
ciple Elli to be rector over the clergy and common people of Llancarvan, and is removed
in a white cloud from Britain to the city of Beneventum, where he is ordained an Abbot,
with the name of Sophias. Subsequently he is raised to be the bishop of Beneventum, and
is slain by a soldier when partaking of the holy eucharist. A chapel was built over his se
pulchre. When his coffin was struck, it emitted a noise, and the death of the striker fol-
owed. Latin, page 22 — 96. Translation, 309 — 395. <^U
'IV. LIFE OF SAINT CARANNOG.— FROM THE LATIN.
Saint Carannog was religious from his childhood, and read canonical lectures from
the cave of Edilu. He goes to Ireland where he associates with Saint Patrick, and
changes his name to Cernach. The churches and cities in the reign of Legen were
exalted under his name, and wherever he was he performed miracles and healed diseases.
Afterwards he comes to his cave in the country of Ceredigion, with many clergymen.
An altar is given to him, which he threw into the sea, and it went before him where he
was to go. He renders harmless a powerful serpent which had laid waste twelve parts
of the land of Carrum. Carrum is given to him at the desire of Arthur, where he builds
a church. His altar lands in the part of Cwellit, and there he built a church, and the
city was called Carron. He goes to Ireland, where he dies, and he was buried in the
city called the city of Cernach. Latin, page 97 — 99. Translation, page 396 — 401. £ -
V. LIFE OF SAINT DAVID, (DEWI.)— FROM THE WELSH.
The particulars of the Life of Saint David which are related in this article are all men
tioned, and in the same order, with fuller details in the following one, so that it may
be considered to be an abridgement of it. And the contents being accordingly the same
a reference may be made thereto, for those contained in this article. "Welsh, page
102—116. Translation, page 402 — 417.
VI. LIFE OF SAINT DAVID.-FROM THE LATIN.
Saint David was foretold to his father Sandde, and to Saint Patrick, thirty years
before he was born, and it was intimated that he should be enriched with mysterious
gifts. Non the mother of David, when pregnant of him, by her presence disables Saint
Gildas from preaching. Saint David is baptized by Beluc, bishop of the Menevensians.
He is instructed at first at a place called Old Bush, and subsequently goes for more instruc
tion to Saint Paulinus. He founds twelve monasteries to the praise of God. He goes to
Glastonbury, where he erects a church. Then to Bath, where by blessing a deadly wa
ter, he rendered it salutary, and communicated to it a perpetual heat. He comes to
Cronlan and Repetun, and afterwards to Colquan and Glascum. Then he founds the
monastery of Leominster, and afterwards builds a church in Gwent at Raglan, and one
in Gower at Llangevelach. He goes with his disciples to Glyn Rosyn, where they lighted
a fire which displeased the governor Boya. He causes the cattle of Boya to be deprived
CONTENTS. XIX.
of life, which however, on being requested, he restores. He erects an eminent monastery,
at the place, and directs how its affairs were to be conducted. An attempt is made by
malicious persons to poison St. David, who are thwarted in their intentions. St. David's
horse carries the Irish abbot over the sea in a wonderful manner. St. David goes to
Jerusalem, accompanied by St. Teilo and St. Padarn, where they greatly distinguish
themselves, and are enriched with gifts. The Pelagian heresy having revived, a synod
was held at Brevi to confute it, and messengers were sent to Saint David to request his
attendance, at length he consents to go, and in his way raises to life a young man who
was dead. Through the exertions of Saint David, the heresy was expelled and the faith
was confirmed in sound minds, and he was, by consent of all, constituted Archbishop.
All the bishops gave to Saint David power, and supreme authority thereby. After greatly
distinguishing himself by his piety and virtues, his soul is at length taken off by his Saviour
with victory glory, and honour, to heaven. Latin, page 117 — 144. — Translation, 418
—448.
\ VII. LIFE OF GWYNLLYW.— FROM THE LATIN.
Saint Gwynllyw was eminently descended both on his father's, and mother's side.
After the death of his father, king Glywys, he reigned over the seven districts of
Glamorgan. He marries Gwladys, daughter of Brychan, king of Brycheiniog, and had
a son Saint Cadoc. An angel points out to Saint Gwynllyw a situation for a mansion,
where he builds a church. Saint Gwynllyw and his wife separate, and live apart from
each other religiously and abstemiously, and perform penance, leading an lieremilical.life.
They are admonished by their son Cadoc to persevere in their manner of living, and to
live further apart. Saint Gwynllyw by his prayers causes a most clear fountain to flow
where it was much wanted. As the end of his life approached, he sends for his son
Saint Cadoc, and Saint Dubricius, and they come and give him penance, exhorting and
comforting him with salutary doctrine. His soul departs from the corporeal chamber,
where it had remained, shining with angelic brightness, and it was accompanied through
the skies that it might remain in eternal rest. His body was buried in the pavement of the
church, where angelic visitation is frequently seen, and persons of divers disorders are
then cured of every complaint. Latin, page 145 — 157. Translation, 449 — 464. / J ^
VIII. LIFE OF SAINT ILLTYD.— FROM THE LATIN.
Saint Illtyd was by birth an Armorican and descended from eminent persons. After
receiving instruction in elementary science he postponed his proceeding in literature, and
became a soldier. He visits the court of king Arthur^ where he is magnificently received.
With his wife Trinihid accompanying him he comes to Paulinus king of Glamorgan,
where he is retained, and chosen to preside over the royal household. Saint Illtyd is
converted and assumes the clerical habit on beholding a miracle performed by Saint
Cadoc respecting the household of Paulinus. An angel admonishes Saint Illtyd to
serve the King of kings. He undertakes to pass an heremitical |ife in the valley of
Hodnant, according to the angel's exhortation. Saint Illtyd protects a stag that had
been hunted, and harassed by king Meirchion. He entertains king Meirchion, and pro
vides food and drink for him in a miraculous manner. He receives from Meirchion a
grant of land for his possession, where he dwells, has a very large household, and many
scholars flock to him. He receives holy orders and is advanced to the abbacy. By
prayer he secures an embankment against the sea, and causes a fountain to rise. Saint
Samson shuts up birds in a barn that they might not injure the corn of Saint Illtyd. The
wife of Saint Illtyd visits him, loses her sight and recovers it through his prayers. The
governor Cyflym melts like wax before the fire because he had offended Saint Illtyd.
Saint Illtyd dwells in a cave on account of the persecution of king Meirchion. Whilst
he is in the cave, he is fed with heavenly food. He hears the sound of a Bell made by
Gildas, intended to be given to Saint David, which Bell he ultimately obtains. He re
turns to the abbacy, which he peaceably governs. Saint Illtyd being often offended by a
wicked superintendent, named Cefygid, he prays that he might be converted from his
iniquity, but the marshy land swallowed him for his evil deeds. King Meirchion is
swallowed by the earth on account of his evil intentions against Saint Illtyd. Through
the prayers of Saint Illtyd, corn is miraculously carried to Brittany whereby he supplied
the agriculturists with seed corn, and protected the inhabitants from dreadful famine.
Having well performed the virtues, and being eminent for his miracles, and completing
his mournful existence, he passed over to the Lord. Latin, page 158 — 182. Tran
slation, 465 — 494. y c\
XX. CONTENTS.
IX. LIFE OF SAINT CYBL— FROM THE LATIN.
Saint Cybi was of the region of Cornwall ; his father was a military chieftain, but he
was brought up at school. When seven years old he began to read. Afterwards he was
in his own country for twenty years. Then he went a journey to Jerusalem to worship at
the sepulchre of our Lord. Afterwards he was with Saint Hillary, bishop of Poictiers,
and there he was fifty years, where he gave sight to the blind, and performed many other
miracles. Being admonished by an angel, he returns to his own country. Afterwards
he comes to the region of Edelygion, where king Etelic with his household arose to reject
him and his companions, but the king and his household became blind, and by their in
treaty and the prayer of Saint Cybi, they were cured. He departs from thence to Mene-
via, and afterwards sails for Ireland, to the island of Arum, where he resided four years,
and built a church. By his prayer a cow was wonderfully loosed that had been detained
by Crubther Fintam. Saint Cybi subsequently resided in various places, and at length
came to the island of Anglesey. From thence he came to Cyndaf, where he employed
one of his attendants, Caffo, to procure fire for him, which he could not get unless it was
taken away in his bosom, and it was so carried, that not a hem of his shirt was burnt.
King Maelgon having hunted a goat, it ran for shelter to the cottage of Saint Cybi, who
would not loose it unless he would sacrifice it to God, and give to him the land his
hounds had gone over. Maelgon grants to him his castle; where he slept with Christ
in great honour, and a multitude of Angels came, and took his most holy soul to heaven.
Latin, page 183— 187. English, 495— 501. £
X. LIFE OF SAINT PADARN.— FROM THE LATIN.
Saint Padarn was an Armorican by nation, and descended from noble parents. From
his childhood he chose to follow Christ ; and when companies of the Armoricans, under
the leaders Hitenlau, Cadvan, and Tydecho, sailed over to Britain, Padarn was made the
fourth leader of a company. Eight hundred and forty seven monks followed him, and
with his saints, he took a place in the church, subsequently called Llanbadarn-fawr
in Cardiganshire, where he distinguished himself by performing a remarkable miracle.
From thence he sailed to Ireland, where he made perpetual peace between the kings of two
provinces who were at war. He returns to Britain, and builds monasteries and churches
throughout the region of Ceredigion. The heralds of Maelgon maliciously trying Saint
Padarn, were disappointed, and thereby lost their lives. King Maelgon becoming
blind on account of the intended mischief to Saint Padarn, asks his pardon, and remu
nerating him with a quantity of land, has his sight restored. Saint Padarn goes with
Saint David and Saint Teilo to Jerusalem, where they were ordained by the imposition of
hands of the chief archbishop. He goes to Armorica at the request of Caradoc Vraich-
vras, and made laws for the churches therein, which should last for ever. Having suffer
ed much from envious and false brethren, he leaves Armorica, and goes to the Franks,
where he finished his course. Whilst the patriarch was at Jerusalem, the kings of the
three southern kingdoms of the Britons succeeded under the three episcopacies of three
saints, and the third episcopal place was the city of Saint Padarn bishop. On a certain
time whilst Saint Padarn lived in his cell it happened that one of his servants was slain
by thieves, of which being informed, he went to the wood, and called him by his name,
Rees ; then the head which which was cut off answered him; and at the blessing of the
holy man, the head and body were joined together and the servant arose alive. The
miracle coming to the ears of Eithir the governor, he asked pardon from Saint Padarn
for the crime of the murderers, who were his men, and granted to him a portion of very
beautiful country; to whom he gave pardon, and foretold that before the end of his life,
he should please the Lord, and at his death be honourably buried in the cemetry of the
place. Latin, page, 189—197. English, 502—514. \^ .
XL LIFE OF SAINT WINEFRED.— FROM THE LATIN.]
Saint Winefred was the only daughter of Teuyth who lived in Tegengle, and from her
youth subjected herself to the power of religion. Her father got her instructed in the
liberal arts, and Saint Beino was engaged to be her instructor. Her father and mother
go to hear mass and the preaching of Saint Beino, and in their absence she is visited by
Caradoc, a son of the prince of the district, who is desirous to attack her chastity, and
she flies to the monastery to obtain the protection of peace from God and Saint Beino.
She is pursued by Caradoc, who overtakes her at the threshold and cuts off her head.
CONTENTS. XXl.
Saint Beino beholding the corpse, fits the head to the body, and by prayer causes the
body to resume the soul ; and the floor stained with her blood cracks, and a fountain
springs up in a torrent at the place. Saint Winefred makes a cloak for Saint Beino,
which is annually brought to him in a miraculous manner. She attends a synod, and is
elected to be over eleven virgins, that they might receive from her an example of life and
holy conversation. Several miracles were performed at the fountain which flowed where
her blood was shed. Three stones were seen in the ebullition to ascend and descend
with the springing of the fountain, one of which a certain woman taking hold of, was
seized with illness, and soon died. Many of those who were afflicted with worms went
to the fountain, and returned home in health. Some who had been deprived of their in
tellects, and were troubled by unclean spirits, and with difficulty brought to the place in
chains, returned from thence fully governing themselves with reason. Likewise persons
afflicted with fevers, by an application of the water of the sacred fountain, were cured of
those of every kind. Latin, page 198—209. English, 515 — 529. /^
APPENDIX,
I. LIFE OF SAINT CATHARINE.— FROM THE WELSH.
Saint Catharine was daughter of Alexander, king of Constantinople, and devoted her
self to divine service in her youth. King Maxen orders the people of his country to come
and sacrifice to his gods, and such as would not, to be put in prison ; and Saint Catha
rine refused to obey his orders. He commands her to believe in his gods. On her not
complying with his orders, she is cast into prison, where God showed her mercy, so that
the gaol was all luminous, and angels came down, and communicated joy to her. And
Maxen having in various ways endeavoured in vain to make her worship his gods, orders
her to be taken out of the town and executed. And her head was cut oft', and milk in
stead of blood ran out, and the angels took the soul of the blessed maiden to heaven.
And whosoever came to her grave, requesting deliverance and health, and believed in her
sufferings obtained them ; and four streams of oil ran from her breasts, and many men
and women therefrom received deliverance. Welsh, p. 211 — 218 English, 531 — 539.
II. LIFE OE SAINT MARGARET.— FROM THE WELSH.
Saint Margaret was the only daughter of Theodosius, and when she was only ten years
of age gave herself up wholly to God. And Oliver the Sovereign of Asia, who wor
shipped false gods, came to the city of Antioch, near which Saint Margaret resided, for
the purpose of ensnaring the Christians, and bringing them to unbelief. Having to no
purpose attempted to force her not to believe in Almighty God, and preach Jesus Christ,
he became angry and ordered her to be cast into prison until he should invent means
how he might overcome her. Sitting as judge at Antioch, he sends for Margaret,
and threatens her that unless she would worship his gods, his sword should pierce her,
and her bones should be burnt. As she refused, he orders his officers to raise her up
in the air, and beat her with rods. Saint Margaret continuing in her belief, Oliver orders
her to be cast into prison, where was a marvellous dragon which swallowed her, but she
was afterwards delivered. Saint Margaret saw another devil in the prison whose hands
were bound, and he was upon his knees and she overcame him, and he became dumb
and went away. On another day, the judge ordered Saint Margaret to be again brought
before him, and she again refused to worship his gods, and he ordered his officers to
hang her in she air, and burn her with consuming flames. At length Oliver ordered
Saint Margaret to be beheaded with a sword ; and when the man struck her, she fell to
floor, and the angels of God descended, and took her soul to heaven, praising God. The
sick, the lame, the deaf and dumb, and those who were possessed by dumb demons, and
the maimed came to pray to her for deliverance, and through her means obtained a cure
for their maladies, and disorders. Welsh, page 219—231. English, 540 — 553. ^ >
' III. LIFE OF SAINT AIDUS.— FROM THE LATIN.
Saint Aidus was the son of Sedia by his wife Eithne, of the province of Connaught in
Ireland. He was born in the island of Brercemaige, and to that island, light has never
been wanting. Being a hostage to king Ammerus, he delivered himself and fifty-three
XX11. CONTENTS.
boys from the power of the king. He restores eight wethers which had been devoured!
by wolves, and shows to some religious persons the place of their resurrection. Saint
Aidus, and Saint Molapas being companions, and desirous to separate, it was revealed to
them, how each was to go. Saint Aidus being on a mountain would go to where Aired
Siniuch dwelt, and angels took him to the place. He raises to life three boys who had
been drowned. He comes to the borders of the Laginensians, and sails over to the city of
Saint David, where he performs many miracles. Afterwards he returns to Ireland, and ou
approaching the land, he saved some strangers, who were about to be murdered. He
walks over the sea dryshod. His bell came over the sea to him from Britain. He appeased
a cow which had lost a calf by its being devoured by wolves — he renders blind, a man who
wished to deceive him, in order to obtain flour. A herald who was desirous of stealing
money committed to his keeping, died in consequence. He converts a leaf into a loaf,
in place of one given to a wolf. A woman who was dead, arose to life »n being told
that Saint Aidus called for her. Saint Aidus went to the country of the Britons, on
being sent for by Saint David, and on returning he went to the sea, and saw a large ani
mal like a horse, and sitting on his shoulder, he came across the sea to Ireland. A par
alytic man came from Rome, and sought a cure throughout the world, and could not
procure it ; and on being informed that no one could cure except Saint Aidus, who was
in Ireland ; he then went over sea, and found Saint Aidus dead, but the spittle that was
in his mouth cured him of all his complaints After his descease, Saint Moiling would
sleep in his bed, although he was told not to it, but so soon as he lay therein, he was
seized with illness, and found that every one was not worthy to sleep in the bed of
Aidus. Latin, page 232—250, English, 554—574. -jj?
IV. LIFE OF BREND ANUS.— FROM THE LATIN.
Saint Brendanus was a man of great abstinence, eminent in virtues, and president over
a great many monks. When he resided in his Grove, Barurchus came to him, and re
lated various particulars of the Land of Promise of the Saints, which was in acertain island.
He said that his son a young man, named Menoc, had found a beautiful island by a stony
mountain, and had several monks with him therein. That he went to visit him, and as
they were walking over the island, they went to the sea coast, and sailed to the island
called the Promised Land of the Saints. While sailing they were overwhelmed by clouds,
and afterwards a great light appeared, and the land was spacious and fruitful. In walk
ing over the island, they saw no herbs without blossoms, nor trees without fruits, and its
precious stones were of various kinds. When desiring to pass a river, there appeared one
in great splendour before them, who said that God had revealed to them the land that He
was about to give to his Saints, where meat and drink, and clothing were not wanting,
and none were oppressed with sleep. They afterwards came to where their ships were,
and returned to the beautiful island, where the brethren exulted on their arrival. Bar
urchus after remaining some time, departs with his companions that he might return to
his cell. On hearing the description, Saint Brendanus, with his congregation, prostrated
themselves to the ground and glorified God ; and he requested their advice and assistance
that the Land of Promise of the Saints, of which Barurchus had spoken, should be in the
heart of his spirit. Latin, page, 251 — 254. English, 575 — 579. 'A
tV. LIFE OF SAINT TATHAN.— FROM THE LATIN.
Saint Tathan was adorned with legitimate morals, and from his infancy was pure from
allurements ; he was committed by his parents to the study of letters when a child,
and was instructed as his genius expanded ; having made great progress in elementary
knowledge, he became celebrated throughout Ireland, and many youths flocked to him
to hear his learning. Despising an earthly kingdom, he chose a heavenly one. He goes
to Britain with his disciples, and lands in Gwent, where after having left the ship in
which he had sailed, it was held by a stag with his feet, that it should not be overturned
and lost. While in Gwent, at the request of king Caradoc, he governed a college for
study, and scholars from all parts flocked to him for knowledge. A suitable place for
divine service is given him, and by the donations of Ynyr son of Caradoc he there
founded a church. Mischievous people having spoiled the grass of a meadow, by the
trampling of horses where a cow grazed, the horses were found dead through the prayer
of Saint Tathan, but on the repentance and entreaty of the owners, they were restored to
life. A horse directs Saint Tathan where is to be his residence. A cow which was
stolen and killed could not be cooked, but became bloody in the pot, and subsequently the
CONTENTS. xxiii.
cow came to life. Saint Cadoc, a disciple of Saint Tathan, being employed to procure
fire, should not have it unless it was taken away in his cloak, which was so taken and yet
the cloak was not injured. A maiden who kept sheep had a ram stolen from her, and
was herself murdered that she might not make known the robbery ; which Saint Tathan
hearing, he grieved, and prayed that the murderers might be made known, who being
struck with compunction, confessed their crimes, and the body being found where they
described, he then built a church in honour of her. A swineherd complaining of the
dryness of the land where he kept his pigs, a clear fountain flowed, through the prayers
of Saint Tathan. A pigeon which belonged to Saint Tathan is taken away by a rapacius
kite, but is subsequently restored to him. A cruel she-wolf having stolen from the swine
herd the young pigs of one sow, they are restored through prayer to Saint Tathan.
The most holy Father emitting his breath from his body, the heavenly angels become his
associates, and on his decease angelic lightning filled the chamber, and was most fragrant
of all. Latin, page 255 — 264. English, 580 — 591. ) \
VI. PEDIGREES OF THE SAINTS.— FROM THE WELSH.
These Pedigrees were taken from an old Manuscript written in the thirteenth century ;
and was in the possession of Edward Lhwyd, author of the Archaeologia Britannica,
about the year 1707.— Welsh, page 265—268. English, 592—597.
VII. PEDIGREES OF THE WELSH SAINTS.— FROM THE WELSH.
These Pedigrees were taken out of an old Manuscript, which was once in the possession
of John Lewis, Esq. of Llanwenny, in the county of Radnor, about the time of Queen
Elizabeth. Welsh, page 269—271. English, 598—601.
VIII. ACCOUNT OF BRYCHAN OF BRYCHEINIOG.— FROM THE LATIN.
This Account of Brychan of Brycheiniog and his kindred was taken from an ancient
Manuscript about the year 900. Latin, page 272 — 275. English, 602 — 608.
IX. HYMNS OF THE MARTYR SAINT CURIG.— FROM THE WELSH.
These Hymns are devotional exercises connected with the Life of Curig ; similar to
which there were Hymns used on account of the several Cambro British Saints on the
days, whereon their respective Lives were read in time of divine service. Welsh, page
276—277. English, 609—611.
X. AN EPITOME OF THE HISTORY OF BRITAIN.— FROM THE LATIN.
This Epitome of British History extends from the year 1230 before the comencement
of the Christian era to the year of our Lord 1281. Latin, page 278—284. English,
612-622.
INDEX TO THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION AND NOTES, page 623.
LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS, 635—636.
ST. ILLTYD'S CROSS; facing the Title PAGE.
THE DESCRIPTION thereof. 490.
FACSIMILE OF M.S. LIFE OF ST. DAVID 102.
DITTO LIFE OF ST. GUNDLEUS 145.
DITTO LIFE OF ST. WINEFRED 198.
I.
ifito f mtfti 5Betnaa
INCIPIT VITA SANCTI BEENACI8 CONFESSORIS.
lt sibi Dominus virum de filiis Israel juxta cor simm,
Bernaci nomine, venustis ornatum moribus, titulisque
virtutum insignibus excellentem ; votum quippe vovit Deo
Jacob quod ad summum irreprehensibiliter usque perduxit.
Ab uberibus igitur matris sue Dei sui nomen amplectens,
ej usque mandata non preteriens, elegit potius abjectus esse
in domo ejus quam palatiis principum delicatius versari.
Ab illustri siquidem parentum prosapia ortum ducens,
meritumque famse laudabilis non minimum obtinens, divi-
tiisque quibus allici solent animi ssecularium admodum
locupletatus, nee non pratensis dilatatus patrimoniis, nee
non parentum solacio nee famse preconio, nee diviciarum
capi voluit deliciis, nee patrimonlorum includi legibus.
Quid ergo, terram nativitatis suse non suam reputans, extra
patriam se portans patriam voluit adquirere, peregrinando
voluit repatriare. Juxta Christ! verbum, Christ! imitando
vestigia, omnia relinquendo sibi exoptavit donari omnia,
exivit, perexit itinerando ad mare prevenit, nave ascendit;
tranquillo cursu Deo disponente, transfretavit terrarum spa-
cia transeundo, verborum Christi semina disseminando,
Romam ingressus est. Ibi Dei doctrinse pocula pectore
sitibundo a quibusdam alacriter si posset, ministravit.
1 Ex MS. Cott. Lib. Brit. Mus. Vespasian A, xiv. p. 142. 2 Wallice BRYNACH.
B
6 VITA SANCTI BERNACI.
Eo temporc in Romanise partibus seviebat qusedam bel-
lua pestifera, quoe quoscunque conspiceret homines aut cru-
entis lacerabat faucibus, aut solo flatu venenoso ad mortem
inficiebat, animalium quoque corpora infinita ut rabiem sa-
ciaret laniabat, suus furor ingenitus nullo poterat saturari
modo; tantum incolis incutiebat metum ut omnimodis se
felicem estimaret, qui suam habitationem locaque fmitima
relinquendo, hujusmodi diram pestem eifugere posset. At
vir sanctus humanorum miseriis cupiens subvenire, quod
populorum nequibat multitudo nuda precium instantia,
belluam mortiferam ad terrain enecando prostravit; pro
quo, nee non pro aliis spectabilibus factis cuncti sanctum
mireficabant, magnificisque incessanter extollebant laudibus.
Videns autem vir Dei se plus solito divulgatum, malensque
soli Deo, cui cordis occulta patent, in occulto placere, quam
in ore populi, qui sola solet exteriora perpendere, famosius
versari quamdiu inhabitaverat Romam, et ubi quasi certam
sibi paraverat mansion em clanculo deseruit.
Deinde longum iter arripiens, et quocunque deveniret
imitandum cunctis prsebens bonitatis exemplum, versus oc-
cidentales muridi partes tendendo, minorem Britanniam
ingressus est; ibi quidem per multos annos commoratus be-
neficia potiora magnasque virtutes operatus est. Conflu-
ebant ad eum infirmi ad recuperandam corporum sanitatem ;
concurrebant sani ut ad animarum medelam celestis doc-
trinse salutaria perciperent monimenta. Gratulabatur Bri
tannia ob tanti viri presentiam, per quern salus igitur diffun-
debatur gratuita; congratulabatur sanctus per Dei gratiam
indigentibus posset perficere; tristabatur tamen et moleste
ferebat quod se cunctis fama volans non cessabat propalare.
Unam ipsam quasi monstrum vitans inplacabile, latenter, et
solus accessit ad mare; et cum navim non invenisset petram
quandam in undse superficie apte locavit, fideliter recolens
quod qui de petra in deserto aquam perduxit, potens esset
et facere super aquam petram natare; sanctus Dei fide
plenus totum se Deo committens, cujus via in mari, et
semitae ejus in aquis multis, petram ascendit, quia super
VITA SANCTI BERNACI. 7
firmam petram id est Christum, fundatus erat; quia guber-
nat omnia summus Deus, qui terram palmo concludit,
monies ponderat, qui firmat in virtute sua mare, mitigata
equoris planicie longitudinem Britannici maris sanctum
suum vexit, et in hostio Milfordi in Demetica regione, ad
ripam fluminis Cleddyf applicuit.
Cumque aliquamdiu Deo suo famulando ibidem morare-
tur, antiquus humani generis adversarius nova suse semper
fiagens commenta nequitise, ad expugnandam fortius casti-
monise puritatem continuo accinctus, filiam optimatis qui
terre illi donabatur in amorem Sancti acrius ineitavit. Ista
vero, ut quequa3 fere mulier diabolo vetus armatura malig-
nitatis vas amplum et omne facinus invincibiliter prseparata,
temptat omnimodis famulum Dei illecebrose voluptatis suae
laqueis vinculare, et a consummatione melioris pracposita
conatur avertere suae luxurise, miscet aconita venereisque
munimentis formose indusiata, non cessat illi propinare
quod miscuit inepte ; non sitivit hujusmodi poculum sanc-
tus Dei famulus, sed respuit, et ut monet apostolus, fugit
fornicaUonis assultus. In hoc, etenim conflictu inelius
pugnat qui cedit quam qui resistit, fortius vincit qui for
tius fugit. Puella vero puellarem abdicans modestiam, qui
stabilem animum ad amorem nefariam non potuit inclinare,
amorem vertens in odium sancti viri, sanctum corpus yoluit
ab anima separare. Mulier quidem in amore repudiata ex-
cogitat omne malum, et quern paulo ante usque ad divisi-
onem corporis et animsc dilexerat, nunc in odium ejus in-
flammata ad omne genus mortis producere conatur.
Qui ut ille morum egregius informator Seneca ait, Aut
odit, aut amat mulier, nichil est medium ; misit ergo quos-
dam viros crudeles ad prosequendum Sanctum, ferociter
praecipiens ut si vivum non possnnt reducere, vivum non si-
nerent abire. Accelerant viri nefandi, et ad malum suum
currunt obcecati; quern secuntur inveniunt, mollibusque ver-
bis ut redeat primmn alliciunt; sed quia cum eis redire recu-
sat, unus eorum mitem \irum lancae diro confodit vulnere,
irruunt ct alii volentes perimere, sed assistunt nutu Dei qui-
8 VITA SANCTI BEKNACL
dam prcesentes qui virum sanctum a manibus carnificium
festinant eripere. At ille qui vulnus infixit, Dei statim
ultione perculsus, toto corpore pediculis alatis obsessus,
postquam diu languore et inedia afflictus fuerat, morte
tandem miserabile miseram finivit vitam. Sanctus Dei fa
mulus ad fontem qui juxta erat accessit, et aquam subin-
trans, sanguine abluit; Unde usque in hodiernum diem fons
ille Fons Rubeus vocatus est ; ubi etiam ob honorem Sancti
misericors Deus multa sanitatum infirmis prsestat beneficia,
nee mora Domino mediante vulnerum sanitate recepta.
Sanctus Bernacus longius proficiscens ad locum juxta
flumen Gueun venit, qui nunc pons appellatur lapideus; ubi
ponens mansionem, locum ilium a spiritibus immundis li-
beravit, quern ipsi omni nocte oberrantes diris clamoribus
liorrendisque replentes ululatibus usque ad ilium diem in-
liabitabilem reddiderunt; sed quia divina Providentia hunc
sibi locum diutius inliabitandum non destinaverat, longius ire
cepit, et ad locum quendam venit super flumen Never, qui
saltus veteris ecclesise appellatur. Cumque locus iste viris
in religione degentibus aptus videretur, accinxerunt se ipse
et socii sui, et accipientes secures et alia instrumenta, per
totos tres dies secuerunt lignaque, secta et partim delata ad
locum ubi volebant edificia poni detulerunt. Quarto die
surgentes ad opera nicliil horum qua3cunque tribus diebus
ante paraverant viderunt qua3rentes, que quasi omnia a terra
essent absorpta, nee vestigia quidem inveniunt; quibus ob
hanc visionem stupefactis, Sanctus Bernacus inquit, Non est
mirandum propter opera mirabilia Dei, licet miranda vide-
antur cum ipse operet qui omnipotens prsedicatur ; humili-
emus nos igitur sub potenti manu Dei, jejunemus, vigilemus,
et oremus ut ipse omnium illustrator quid istiis portendum
nobis velit ostendere. Quod et factus est.
Nocte igitur subsequent!, Bernaco percumbenti in ora-
tione, apparuit angelus Domini, dicens, " Locus iste non est
locus habitations tuac, sed perge super ripam fluminis,
usque ad rivum sanctorum qui cadit in flumen, ripamque
illius rivi collisque quousque suem albam videas silvestrcm
VITA SANCTI BERNACI.
cum albis porcellis, et ibi certain tibi pona station em." Pro-
gredieris itaque Sanctus allocutione angelica exhilaratus, in-
venit suem promissam cum porcellis in loco quo, in ejus
nomine condita nunc excolitur ecclesia super ripam Caman,
qui antea profundus torrens, non propter ipsius profunclita-
tem, sed propter vallium ita vocabatur concavitatem. Unde
devotas Deo persolvit gratias quia per angelum suum locum
designare dignatus est, in quo absque permutatione jugem
velit sibi ab eo prsestari famulatum. Ignis accensus est, et
totam fere noctem illam, ipse et socii sui orationibus vacan-
tes insompnem duxerunt.
Erat eo tempore dominus territorii illius quidam, Clechre
nomine, vir Justus, ac timens Deum qui prseceperat in die-
bus suis ; unum et senex cognominabatur ; hie vir mane
consurgens, vidensque fumum ab igne, quern vir Dei in pro-
funda valle accenderat, surgentem dilatari et operire finiti-
mas partes terrae, spiritu Dei incitatus, convocat quos
habebat xx filios, et dixit eis, Filii mei, auribus percipite
quod advenit vir ille, quem diu nobis promissum novimus,
cujus fama bonitatis super faciem terre dilatabitur, et altis-
simis celebrabitur ; et sicut videtis fumum ejus diffusum
expandi, ita potestas prelationis ejus et multo latius; eamus
ergo et procidamus ante faciem ejus et subjiciamur ei, quod
divine voluntati nullatenus contradicere, sen resistere de-
bemus. Euntes itaque unanimiter venerunt ad virum Dei,
et at genua ejus pervoluti, oraverunt ut sui misereretur.
Sanctus Bernacus ut erat et jocundi sermonis, benedixit eis,
et modesta voce quid velint inquirit; respondit senex, et
dixit, Domine, multo tempore hnjus territorii dominus
extiti; sed quod Dei providentia hunc locum tibi no\7i des-
tinatum, cedo Dei voluntati, cedo et tibi, verum hos filios
meos tibi commendo, ut sub tutela paternitatis tue Deo
nostro valeant adherere. Suscepit eos gratanter regulari-
busque instructos disciplinis laboris sui fideles habuit con-
sortes. Pater vero senex valedicens, osculatusque omnibus
secessit in partes Cornubie, ibidem Deo serviens beatam
Domino reddidit animam.
10 VITA SANCTI BERNACI.
Sanctus autem Bernacus divini fanmlatus executor de-
votus existens, corporeac affectionis tantum studebat super-
flua resecare; quantum affectabat divine voluntati gratus
existere; continuis corpus jejuniis macerabat, crebrisque
extenuebat vigiliis carnis insolentiam, vestium cohibebat as-
peritate gelidaque, quam subilat cotidie aquae in frigidatione ;
quod ori, quod manui, quod toti corpori subtrahebat in usus
pauperum convertebat ; si quod poterat acquirere, eorum
ejestati sublevando reservabat; orationibus incessanter in-
stabat, nisi quando cibo corpus vel sompno reficiebat. Ita
Deo placentem gerebat vitam, ut angelorum visione, simul
et allocutione crebro perfrui mereretur. Unum et mons ille
in quo conveniebant, in cujus videlicet pede ecclesia fabri-
cata est, mons angelorum appellatus est.
In conspectu populorum ita Dominus sanctum suum mi-
rificavit, at feras ad jussum ejus, ritu feriali deposito, man-
suetas redderet. Itaque siquando vellet de domicilio ad
domicilium proficisci, advocabat de grege duos cervos quos
volebat ad trahendum currum, in quo supellex deferendo
reponebatur; soluti autem a jugo ad solita remeabant pas-
cua, vac cam quoque quam quasi unicam ac singularem ad
opus suum ab aliis segregaverat, turn propter corporis am-
plitudinem, quia ceteris major erat, turn propter lactis ha-
bundantiam, lupi deputavit custodie; qui more benesensati
pastoris vaccam, mane agebat ad pascua sero autem ad
domum reducebat incoluinem. Contigit quidem eo tem-
pore ut rex Cambrie, Mailgonus iter faceret non longe a
cella Sancti, misitque ad eum precipiens ut sibi cenam pa-
raret. Sanctus vero volens se et suos necnon et loca sua ex
omni actione liberare, asseruit se regi nullam debere cenam,
nee injusto ejus precepto in aliquo velle parere. Qui missi
fuerant ad dominum redierunt dicentes virum, ad quern mi-
serat, nullam sibi velle parare cenam. Rex ut erat facilis
a mentis tranquillitate moveri, propinorque, ad nocendum
quam ad subveniendum promptior dinoscebatur, nichil
pietati, nicliil sanctitati, nichil modestie deferens, misit sa
tellites qui vaccam Sancti adducerent, et exinde sibi cibaria
VITA SANCTI BERNACI. 11
pararent. Procul dubio nee aliis parceret, sed in remotis
morabantur pascuis, minasqne minis adjiciebat ferociter
quod in crastino Sanctum a regno suo proscriberet, locaque
sua solatenus penitus destrueret. Concurrunt ministri ini-
quitatis, et vaccam celeriter adducunt ; illi se predam accin-
gunt dapibusque futuris, tergora diripiunt costis, et viscera
nudant, pars in frustra secant, et super ignem in caldario lo-
cant, igni ligna ministrant, et ex omni parte inflantibus buccis
sufflare festinant. Gustos vacce lupus interim currit ad
dominum suum, tristisque ac gemens jacet ad terrain pros-
tratus, quasi veniam postulaturus. Affuit qui diceret a
ministris regis vaccam fuisse raptam, et secta frustratim ad
coquendam positam.
Sanctus vero coram Deo suo querimoniam deponens, to-
tam causam divino commisit arbitrio vinticandam. Rex et
familia fame cruciantur, sed nee adhuc spes ulla refectionis
datur, aqua namque in qua caro coquenda jacebat, ita sicut
quando infundebatur frigida permanebat, nee magis igne in-
comparabili supposito ad bullicionem movebatur quam si
glaciei congeries non modica dempto igne supponeretur.
Sensit rex, senserunt sui Dei virtutem Sanctumque carum
sibi esse, audierant autem operari; timoreque vehement!
percussi sunt, statimque fastu regali deposito humiliatus,
omnesque sui pariter contriti corde nudis pedibus ince-
dentes, ad Sanctum venerunt, omnibusque ad pedes ejus in
terra pervolutis, Rex suorum advocatus pro se, suosque in
ipsum peccasse confessus promittens se iterum non factu-
rum talia, humili prece, et sincera devotione postulavit ut
sui misertus omnipotentem se suisque complicibus exoravit.
Sanctus quidem Bernacus omni felle carens Dominum
suum exoravit, suscipiensque dexteram regem erexit; et
sperande pietatis altissimi fiduciam indulsit; vaccam vero
in conspectu omnium pristino statui restituit, lupoque iter
um custodiendam commisit.
Post hec regem ut deveru a consequenda securiorum
efficeret, rogavit ut secum pernoctaret, et quod paulo ante
fronte obstinata negaverat, hoc nunc largiflua caritate et
12 VITA SANCTI BERNACI.
mente benefica gratuito optulit. Rex gratias egit, remansit;
quid faciat, qui nichil aut modicum habet in penum quod
apponat discumbentibus nisi sperare in Deo ut ipse faciat,
qui filiis Israel esurientibus cibaria misit in habundantia,
pluitque illis manna ad manducandum. Accessit ergo ad
quercum que prope stabat, et per foliis dependentes triti-
ceos decerpsit panes quotquot habet necessarios. Unde et
quercus panis dum stabit vocabitur. Accessit ad torrentem
Caman, quippe prope fluebat, pro aqua hausit vinum ad
affluentiam, pro lapidibus de eodem torrente pisces extraxit
ad saturitatem. Venit ad regem, et at suos, fecitque eos
discumbere, et escas eis apposuit habunde ; manducaverunt
et saturati sunt satis, nee sunt fraudati a desiderio suo ; post
cenam hora instante accumbuerunt, dormitaverunt omnes et
usque mane dormierunt suaviter.
Rex mane consurgens suos evigilavit, et secundum hos-
picii legem, gratias solvens sancto Bernaco dixit, Quia
gratuitam beneficientiam tuam accepi ego munificentiam
meam tibi gratis largiri non dedignor; in nomine Dei, et
Domini nostri J\esu Christi te, et locum tuum totumque
territorium ad locum tuum pertinens, nee non omnes in eo
commanentes, ab omni regia exactione in perpetuum libero,
insuper terram Thelych monachi ditioni tue liberam assigno ;
qui ergo contra hanc donationem meam de cetero venire
persuaserit, Dei maleclictionem omniumque fidelium Christi,
et meam celeriter incurrat; munus regis sanctus Dei gra-
tanter suscipiens, gratias egit, ipsique sequentibus suis mente
devota benedixit. Deinde consolantes se mutuo, divisi sunt
ab alterutro. Quot et quantis Sanctus iste effulserit mira-
culis, dum maneret in corpore, difficile quisquam posset ex-
plicare. Placuit demum Altissimo de hoc incepto, et insta-
bili habitaculo sanctum suum eripere, et in celestia gloria in
ter santos et electos suos feliciter collocare. Transiit autem
de hoc mundo vii die Aprilis, jacetque corpus ejus subtus
murum ecclesie sue orientalem reconditum. Gratulatur sanc
tus Dei Bernacus in celis, operanturque mirabilia magna fre
quenter in terris, prestante Domino nostro Jesu Christo.
II.
iettna iitttt1
t bonnhedic a oed gynt ym Powys, yn y lie a elwir
Banhenic, ger Haw auon a elwit yn yr amser hwnnw Sa-
brina, yn yr amser hwnn y gelwir hitheu Hafren; ac enw y
gwr bonnhedic hwnnw oed Bugi, ae wreic a elwit Beren,
verch Lawdden; dynyon gwirion oedynt, a da oed eu bu-
ched, a gorchymynneu Duw a wneynt o bop ffordd or y
gellynt, heb eniwed or byd a ellir y dodi yn y herbyn; ac
nyd oedd udunt etivedd o vab, a dynyon oedauc oedynt,
vel na byddei blant udunt vyth, canys y ran vwyaf o eu
hamser a dreulassant, a chyt gysgu yr oedynt yr ys deudeng
mlynedd heb achaws cnawdol y ryngthunt. a hynny oed o
hundeb eill deu. Ol dydgwaith, fal yr oeddynt yn ymdi-
ddan, hwynt a welynt angel yn dyuod attunt ae wise yn gyn
wynnet a'r eiry, ac a ddywedut wrthynt, "Byddwch lawen a
hyfryt canys gwarandewis Duw ych gwedi." Ac yna dy-
waut yr angel wrth y gwr. "Byt heno," heb ef, "gydym-
deithas gnawdol rhyngot a'th wraig, a hi a geiff beichiogi,
ac o'r beichiogi hwnnw, ef a enir mab i di; a hwnnw a fydd
anrhydeddus herwydd Duw a dyn." Ac val y gorchymyn-
naed yr angel udunt, hwynt a gnaethant; a beichiogi a
gafas Beren y nos honno, ac o'r beichiogi hynny, ef a anet
mab iddi, ac ar y mab hynny y dodet yn eriw Beuno.
A meithryn y mab a wnaethant, yn y un amser y rodi
wrth leen. Ac yna yr anfonet ef hyt at Sant a oedd yn
ghaer Went ; enw y sant oedd Tangusuis, ae rieni ae rhodd-
1 Allan o Ysgrif yn Llyfrgell larll Macclesfield, wedi ei chydmaru ag Ysgrif yn Llyfr-
gell Coleg yr lesu, Rhydychen.
C
14 BUCHEDD BEUNO SANT.
assan t attau, a hyiiny o gytundeb. Ac chyt a'r sant hwimw
y bu ef drvvy ganhorthwy Duw yn ddysgu yn y wyddiad yr
holl ysgrytliyr Ian. O dyna y dysgawd ef wasanaeth, a rhe-
olau yr Eglwys, ac a kymeroedd urddeu, ac y bu offeiriat
Ac yna arganim ef Ynyr Gwent, brenliin oed liwnnw yn y
vann honno, yn yfudd ac yn ddiweir ac yn hael, ac yn
gwneuthur gorchymmynion Duw ym mhob belli ; ae der-
bynniad yn anrhydeddus aortic, ac yn garedic, a rodi iddaw
modrwy eur, a choron, ac ymrodi elmn yn disgybl, ac yn
vynach i Vcuno Sant ; a rodi iddo tcir ranndir yn Euas, a'r
bobyl oil a oedd ar y rhandiroedd liynny, ae holl da byt.
Ac yn yr amser liwnnw y clefychawd tad Beuno o lieint
annobeith, ac anvon keimatau at Beuno y vab aoruc, ac
erclii iddaw dyvod wrth y tienndit, ae diwed; ac yno dy-
wawd Beuno wrth ei getymdeithion ae dclysgyblon, "Arhoet
tri," heb ef, "yma o honawch," heb ef, "yn y dinas hwnn, a
rnynheu a af i edrych fyn Tat y sydd yn wannglaf." Ac felly y
gwnaethant hwy. A Beuno sant ai gorcliymmyiiawd hwynt
yr brenliin, ac yr wyr da y wlat, ac yntau a aeth rhagddau
hyd y lie yd oed ei Tat yn glaf. Ai Tat gwedi caffael kym-
mun a chyiles, ac a ddiwedd perfeith, a vu varw. Gwedi
hynny Beuno a drigawdd ar tref y tat, ac yna y adeilawd ef
eglwys yno, ac ae cyssegrwyd yn enw yr arglwydd Grist, ac
a blannawd vessen yn ystlys bedd y Dad, a honno a dyfkwd
yno yn dderwen, dirvawr y bu o faint ac uchder a phrasder,
ac ar vrig y ])renn liwnnw ef a wrthtyfawd kaingc liyt y
llawr, ac o'r llawr drachefyn yn gyvyuch a'r brig y pronn,
a thrigiaw elin yr geinc ar y llawr, ac velly y rnae yn y stat;
ac od y Sals rhwng yr elin hono a bon y prenn, yn diennod.a
a byd marw ; ac os Kymro a af yno, ni bydd henyd gwaeth.
Ac wedi trigyaw Beuno yno ar dalym o amser, y gadewis
tref a Tat, ac a kerdav/d racdau hyt att Vaun, vab Brochwel,
a hwnnw ai horbynniawd ef yn garedic, ac ynn voncdigeid,
o achos y gy \ cilliach, ae haelioni, ae y fylldawd yn y gor-
chymynneu Duw. Ac yna y rhoddes Maun dros y eneit ef,
ac eneit y Dat Aberriw i Duw a Beuno. A dydgweith val
yr oed Beuno yn gorymdeitli geyr Jlaw auon Hafren,
BUCHEDD BEUNO SANT. 15
ynghylch ryt, nachaf y cluuet or tu arall yr anon lief Seis
yn annoc i gwn y hely ysgavarnog, sef y dywedei y Seis o
hyd y benn, " Cergia," sef oed hynny yn y ieith ef annoc y
gwn; a plian gigleu Veuno lief y Sais, ymclioelut yn dian-
noc aoruc dracliefn, a dyuot att y discyblon, a dywedyt
wrthynt, " Gwisgwch am danoch eich dillad vy meibion i,
acli archennat, ac adawn y lie hwnn, kenedyl y gwr angliy-
fyeith a fiaith, a gigleufi y lef tu draw yr auon yn annoc y
gwn ar ysgyfarnoc a oresgynnant y lie hwn, ac a fyd eidynt,
ac ae kynnheliant dan eu meddiant." Ac yna y dywat Beuno
wrth mi o5e dysgyblon, Bithyliut oed y enw, "Fy mab," heb
ef, " byd ufydd y mi, vi a fynnaf trigiaw o lionot ti yma ;
am benclith i gyd a thi, ac adaw gennyt a wnaf croes a
wnaetbum i." A rhwmwyt bendith A thro aoruc y dysgybyl
hwnnw, a thrigaw yno. Beuno a deuth ef ae disgyblou
hyt yn Meivot, ac yno y trigawd ef gyt a Thyssiliaw dcu-
gein nieu a deugein nos.
Ac odyna ef o deuth att Kynan vrenhin, vab Brochuel,
ac a erchis le i weddiaw dros y eneit ai gyfeilloun. Ac yna
y rodos y brenhin le idaw Gwydelwerun, y lie a gafas y
enw y garni yr Yscott, A gyuodes Beuno o varu yno, ai
wreic a vuassei acbosaul y angeu ef. Ac yno gwnaeth
Beuno eglwys hyt yr amser y doeth nyeint Cynau o holy at
Beuno y erchi buyd idaw, gan drigiaw yno yn was tat. Ac
yna yd erchis Beuno y weisson kyrclii ych ieuangc yr mynyd,
ae lad, ac arluwy buyt yr gwyr a oedd yn y erchi idaw, a
hynny aoruc y gweissou, ar kic a roclet ar y tan y mywn
erochan y berui y trydedd awr o'r dydd, a hyt brytnhawn y
bu ar y tan; ar gwyr heb orfFwys yn kyimeu y tan dan y
crochann a phrytnhawn ny thuymassei y dyfyr etto, ac nyt
amliuassei y kic, Ac yna y dywaut un o'r lleygyon yr ysgol-
heic, "Hwnn, ebef, o'e gelfyddyt yssyd yngneuthur hyun val
na chaffoni ni dim i vwyta;" a plian gigleu Veuno yr ym-
adrodd oe benn, rodi y emeltith arnaw aoruc Beuno ; a
marw fy ynteu kyn diwed y dydd. Yno ymchoelawd hyt
att veibion Selyf, a dy wedut wrthunt, " Y peth a rodes ych
teit chwi y Duw yn ryd, a vynnwch chwitheu y rodi mal
16 BUCHEDD BEUNO SANT.
ardreth a cheithiwet arnaw, os rhodho Duw i mi, ac os
gwnel yrof y gwr yr wyfi yn gwasanaethu idaw, na medo ych
etifed chwi byth arnaw ef, ach distryw chwitheu o'r teyrnas
honn, a teyrnas racllaw;" ac yna val yr erchis Beuno yn y
wedi, y kavas.
Odyna y gedewis Beuno y lie hwnnw, ac y kerdawd hyt
ygglan Dyfrdwy avon, y geissyaw lie y vediaw Duw, ac nys
cavas, ac yna y daeth hyt att Temic vab Eliud, a'r Temic
hwnnw a rodes y Veuno yn dragwyddawl, ac yn diosgryn
tref ; ac yno yr adeiliaud Beuno eglwys, ac y kyssegrwyd y
Duw. Temic kynn pen hayach o amser aedewis y lie di-
ffeith hwnnw y Veuno sant. A dydgwaith y daeth Temic
a'i wreic yr eglwys i warandaw offeren a phregeth y gann
Veuno ; ac adaw gartref y verch yn gwarchadaw ; a morwyn
teckaf yn y byd oedd honno, ac ni rodessit hi y wr etto.
Ac val ydoed hi ehun yn gwarchadw nachaf y gwelei hi y
brenhin, a oed ar y lie hwnnw, yn clyfod ym mywn attei, a
Charadawc oedd y enw ; sef a wnaeth hitheu kyfodi yn y
erbynn, a bot yn llawen wrthaw. Sef aoruc y brenhin
govyn idi. "Pa le yr arhoer y that," " Ef a aeth" heb hi, "yr
eglwys, or byt yt neges a vo at evo, aro ef, ac efo a daw yr
awr honn." "Nae arhoaf," heb yntau " ony bydy ordderch
ditheu y mi." Heb y forwyn, "Ni uedaf i yn ordderch ytt ti,
kanys brenhin wyt ti, ac o vrenhined y kanwyt, a minheu
nyd kywch vyggwaet, ac a gwedwyf yn ordderch yt; eissoes"
heb hi, " aro di yma hyd yn y delwyfi on i sambyr, a mi a
wnaf a vynnych;" ac yn rith mynet y sambyr, ffo aoruc hi a
chyrchu tu ar eglwys yr arhoet y that ae mam idi, a'r bren
hin ae harganvu hi yn ffo, ae hymlit aoruc, ac a hi yn kaffel
drws yr eglwys, ygordiwes aoruc ynteu, ac ae gledyf taro y
phenn, yn y vu yn yr eglwys, a'r corff o maes o honei.
Beuno ae that ae mam a arganvuant hynny, a Beuno a dy-
waut wrth y brenhin, gan edrych yn y wyneb, " Mi a archaf i
Duw," heb ef, "nat arbetto ef didi, ac nath barcho mwy noc
perchaist titheu y forwyn da honn." Ac yn yr awr honno y
rodes y brenhin yn llyn tarwd, ac ni welat mwy no hynny yn
y byd hwnn. Yna y kymmerth Beuno pen y vorwyn, ac y
BUCHEDD BEUNO SANT. 17
dodes wrth y corff, a thanni y mantell ehun ar hyt y corff, a
dywedut wrth y that ae mam a oeddynt uch y phenn yn y
chwynaw. "Teuch origin, a gedwch hi val yn y mae yn y
darffo yr offerenn." A Beuno yna a aberthawd y Duw, a
phan darvu yr offeren, y vorwyn a gyvodes yn holl iach ;
sychawd y chwys y an y hwyneb, ac a gymmerth Duw hi a
Beuno yn holl iach. Ac yn y lie y syrthawd gwaet ar y
dayar, y kyvodes ffynnawn od yno; ar ffynnawn honno
hyd hediw yssyd yno yn rodi y iechyd y dynyon, ac any veil-
leit oe eu heinyeu ae clwyfeu ; a'r ffynnawn honno a enwit
o enu yr vorwyn, ac el wit ffynnawn Wennvrewy; a llawer
a welsant hynny, ac a gredassant y Grist, ac un o'r rei a
gredawd yna vu Gatuan brenhin Gwynedd; a hwnnw a
rodes y Veuno lawer o dir, a dayar.
A gwedy marw Katuan yd aeth Beuno y ymwelet a Chat-
wallawn, vab Katuan, a oed brenhin gwedy Katuan, o erchi
aoruc Beuno tir y Katuan, kan nyt oed idaw yn y kyvamser
hwnnw le i wediaw Duw. nac i breswyliaw yndaw. Ac yna
y brenhin o rodes y Beuno le yn Aruon a elwir Gwared-
auc; a Beuno a rodes yr brenhin guaell eur, a rodassei Cynari
vab Brochuel idaw yntau, pan vuassei varw; a'r waell honno
a delei trugein muwch. Ac yno yr adeilawd Beuno eglwys
ac a dechreuawd adeiliat mur yn y kylch ; ac val yd oed ef
ar y ddyddgweith yn gwneithur y mur hwnnw, ae disgyblon
y gyt ac ef, nachaf y gwelynt yn dyuot attunt gwreic a mab
newid eni yn y harffet, ac yn erchi y Veuno vendigaw y
mab; heb y Beuno, "Ha wreic, aro origin yny orffennom
hynn ;" a'r mab yn wylo, ual nat oed haud y diodef. " Ha
wreic," heb y Beuno ffest, "o beth yd wyl y mab." "A ur
da sant," heb y wreic, "y mae achaws idaw i hynny." "Ha
wreic da," heb y Beuno, "pa achaws yu hunnu." "Dyoer,"
heb y wreic, "y tir yd wyt ti yn y veddyannu, ac yn adeiliaw
arnaw yw tref y tat y mab;" Yna y dywaut Beuno wrth y
disgyblon "Tynnwch ych dwylaw," heb ef, "wrth y gwaith
tra bedydyuyf y mab; a pharatowch yn vy ngherbyt, ni a
awn y gyt ar wreic hon ai mab y ymweled a'r brenhin, y
gwr a rodes y mi y tref tat ef."
18 BUCHEDD BEUNO SANT.
Ac yna kychynnawd Beuno ae disgyblionn y gyt a'r
wreic a'r mab, ac a doethant hyt yn Ghaerseint, yr lie yr
oed y brenliin, yr awr honn y gelwir y lie hwnnw Kaer-
ynarvon. Ac yna dywad Beuno wrth y brenhin, "Pa ham,"
eb ef "y rodeis ti y mi tref neb na dylyt ?" " Pa haehos,"
lieb y brenhin, "py le y inae y neb ae dyly ef." "Y mab,"
lieb y Beuno, "yssyd yn arffet y wreic racco a dyly y tir ac
yssyd etiued arnau." "Dyro di," heb y Beuno, "yr mab
y tir, a dyro y mynhau tir arall am hynny ; neu dyro ym y
rod a rodeis i y ti, sef yw honno y waell aryant." Sef atteb
a rodes y brenhin trahaus balcli y Veuno. "Ni newidaf i,"'
heb ef, "a thidi un tir, y rod a rodeis ti y mi, minheu ae roes-
sim i hi y arall." Sef aortic Beuno llidiaw a dywedut y
brenhin, "Mi a archaf," heb ef, "y Duw na bo hir y medych
ti ar tir a dayar," a mynet ymcith aoruc Beuno ac adaw
ynteu yn emelltigedie. Kevenderw oed y Brenhin a elwit
Gwideuit, a hwnnw a gerdawd yn ol Beuno, ac a gordi-
wedawd y tu arall yr avon a clwir Seint, lie yr oed Beuno
yn cistcd ar vaen yn glan yr avon, a hynny a rodes dros y
y encit elmn, ac eneit Idwallon y gevenderw i Duw a
Beuno y dref eliun a elwit Kelynnawc yn dragywyddawl,
heb val, a heb ardreth, a heb vedyant y d)rn o'r byt, na
bawl aniei; ac yno y gnaetli Beuno lawer o wyrtheu drwy
north Duwr, y rei ny allci dyn or byt hwnn eu rifaw.
Ac yn yr amser liwnnw ef a damweinawd mynet un o
weithwyr Aberffraw hyt yn llys Ynyr Gwent ; ac o'r byt
nyt oed was ieuangc degach no hwnnw ; a phan welas merch
Ynyr Gwent y gwas ieuangc hwnnw, hyt ae niinwd hyt na
mynlieu hi vot hebdaw ef. Ar brenhin a adnabu hynny yn
y lie ac ae gwybu, ac a dewissawd rodi gwas hwnnw y
verch yn briawt, rac y gymryt yr o lionei hi euo o aruer
arall; dieu oed gantaw rac tecket y gwas ae advynnet y vot
yn vab y vrenhin ac yn dylyedawc. Ac gwedi talyni o am
ser, ef a ymhoelawd y gwas ieuangc liwnnw, ae wreic y gyt
ac ef, tu ae wlatt; ac a doethant hyt y lie a elwir Pennard
yn Aruon; ac yna disgynnassant y ar eu meirch, a gorffwys
a wnaethant yno, ac o tra blinder, a lluder kyscu, a syrthu-
BUCHEDD BEUNO SANT. $19
awd a'r unbennes; sef a wnaeth ynteu a'r unbennes yn
kyscu yn y vedwl kewilydiaw yn ormod y vot yn mynet y
tu ae wlat, a gwreic kymoned a honno y gyt ac ef, ac nat
oed le ygyrchu a hi ; onyfc bob yn reit idaw mynet dracheven
yr gweith lie y buassei gynt yn eimill y vyt yndaw. Ac
odyna o annoc kythreul, ae gledyf, a hi yn y chwsc, Had y
phen ; ac yna kerdet aornc ef racdaw tu ae wlad a'r meirch
da, a'r eur, a'r aryant gantaw hyt at y brenhin. Ac or di
hwnnw prynu ygann y brenhin meddyant, aswyd, nyt amgen
bot yn distein idaw. Sef aoruc begelyd Beuno arganuot y
corff, ag yn ebrwyd diguot y venegi y Venno hynny. Sef a
wnaeth Beuno yna dynot yn di lesc y gyt a wynt hyt y lie
yr oed y corff. Ac yn y lie kyraryt y penri ae wasgu wrth
y corffj a syrthaw ar dal y glinyeu ; a gwediaw Daw val
hynn " Arglwydd, creawdyr nef a dayar y gwr nyt oes dim
anwybot idaw, kyuot ti y corph hynn yri iach." Ac yn y lie
kyuodi aoruc y vorwyn yvynu yn holl yacli; a meriegi i
Beuno y holl damwein. Ac yna ydywat Beuno wrthi hi,
"Dewes ti," heb ef, "ai mynet tu ath wlat, ai trigyaw yma yn
gwasanaethu Duw." Heb y forwyn da a acldwyn, "Yma,
heb hi, y myimaf i trigyaw ger dy law di ynn gwassanaethu
Duw, y gwr am kyuodes i yn vyw o varw." Ac yn y lie y
syrthawd y gwaet ar llawr, yr amddangosses ffynawn loew,
ac o enw y vorwyn y kauas y ffynnawn y henw, nyt amgen
Ffynnawn Digwc.
Ac wedy talym o amser deuth brawt yr unbennes, Idon,
vab Ynyr Gwent, hyt at Veuno y arnouyn chwaer. A phan
deuth ef yno, yr oed y vorwyn y gyt a Beuno yn gwassa
naethu Duw; a gouyn aoruc ef y chwaer, a cloei hi y gyt
ac ef, oe wlat. Ac yna y dywat hi, na myiihei hi vynet, na
gadaw y lie y kyuodyssit hi o veirw. A gwedy gwelet Idon
na thyckyei idaw, yr oed arnaw eruynnyeit aoruc ef y
Veuno diguot y gyt ac ef hyt yn Aberifraw y eruynneit yr
brenhin kymell idaw y meirch, a'r eur, a'r aryant, a dugassei
y gwr y gan y chwaer. Ac yna y kerdassant wy eill deu
hyt yn llys y brenhin, ac Idon a arganuu y gwr yr oed yn y
geissaw. Ac yn y He, tynnu clcdyf a dwyn ruthr idaw, a
20 BUCHEDD BEUNO SANT.
Had y benn ; sef aoruc y brenhin yna llidiaw, ac erclii dala
y gwr a lladassei y gelein. Ac yna dywat Beuno, "Na
dodwcli," heb ef, "ych law ar y gwr a deuth y gyt a miui."
Yna ystynnawd y brenhin trwy y lit ymdeith, ac y tyng-
hawd y parei ef diuetha y gwr yn diannot onny wnelei
Veuno y gwr a ladyssit yn vyw. Sef a wnaeth Beuno yna
yndiargysswr gann ymdiret yn Duw, kyuodi yn vyw y gwr
a ladyssit. Sef aoruc y brenhin a diuarhey rybroui o honaw
y Sant, a rodi yna y Veuno y plas, yn yr hwn y mae, a
elwit Beuno.
Llawer o bethau ereill a beidyassam ni, ac wynt a adaws-
som heb ydywedut rac barunu y llythyr hwn yn angkryno.
Ychydic yw hyn o wyrthau Beuno. Ac ny wyr neb dyn a
wnaeth Duw yr Beuno ony Duw ehun. A phwy bynnac
hysbys yw a wnel da, Duw a vyd kannhorthywr idaw;
kybyl a orchymynneu Duw, a wneeu Beuno; bwyt a diawt
a rodei yr neb a welei newyn a sychet arnaw; dillat y
noeth, Hetty y bellynnic, gofuwyawT cleifyon, a carcharoryon
a wnaey pob ryw da, or a orchymynnei yr Scrythur Lan y
wneuthur a gwmplaei.
Ac val yr oed hoedyl Beuno yn daruot, ae dyd yn dyuot,
y seithved dyd gwedy Pasc, ef a welei y nef yn agoret ac
engylyonn yn gogostwng, ac yn dyrchavel y vyned drache-
ven. Ac yna y dy wet Beuno, " Mi a welaf," heb ef, "y Trin-
dawt, y Tad, a'r Mab, a'r Yspryt Glan, a Pheder, a Phawl,
a Diudevirion, a Deynoel, a'r Seint, a'r Prophwydi, a'r
Ebystyl, a'r Merthyri yn ymdangos ym. A mi a welaf
ymplith hynny seith angel yn seuyll ger bronn kadeir y gor-
uchel Dat; a holl dadeu nef, ar kannyadau yn dywedyd
'Gwynvidedic yw yr hynn a etholeisti ac a gymereist, ac a
bresswyla y gyt yn dragywyddawl.' Mi a glywaf," heb ef, "lief
cornn y goruchel Tat yn gwahaud, ac yn dywedut wrthyf,
' Vy mab i, bwrw di oreilyt dy gnawt y wrthyt, llyma yr am-
ser yn dyuot, ac yr ydys yth wahawd i gymryt y wled ni
deruyd y gyt ath vrodyr, trigyet ynteu dy gorff di yn y
dayar, dy eneit tithau bydinoed nef a'r engylion ae harwed
y teyrnas nef, yr hynn a heideist ti yma drwy di weithred-
BUCHEDD BEUNO SANT. 21
oed; yr awr lionn mae vyd dydbrawst, pann dywetto yr
Arglwydd wrth y seint, 'Meibion bendigedic vyn Tat i,
dewch chwi y veddu y deyrnas a baratoet ych yn dechreu
byt,' lie byd buclied lieb anglieu, a ieuengtit heb heneint, a
iechyt heb dolur, a llewenydd heb tristit; y seint yn y vid
uchaf y gyt a Duw Dat yn vnolyaeth a'r angylion. a'r arch-
engylipn, yn vnolyaeth y Tat, a'r Mab, a'r Yspryt Glan.
Amen."
Archon nynheu trugared Duw holl gyuoethauc, drwy
gannhorthwy Beuno Sant, val y gallom nynheu gaffel, y gyt
ac euo, buchedd tragywyd ynn yr oes oesoedd. Amen.
LLYMA ACH BEUNO,
Beuno vab Bugi, vab Gwnlliw, vab Tegit, vab Kadell
Drynlluc, vab Gortegyrun, vab Gorthevyn, vab Gorth-
geyrun, vab Rutegyrn, vab Deheuwynt, vab Eudegan, vab
Eudegern, vab Elud, vab Endos, vab Endolen, vab Avallad,
vab Amalech, vab Belim, vab Anna, honno oed gefnnitherw
y Veir wyry, mam Grist.
III.
ffito Jteti
INCIPIT PREFATIO IN VITA BEATISSIMI CADOCI QUOQUE SOPHIE,
EPISCOPI ET MARTYRIS BENEVENTANE CIVITATIS.
in quibusdam finibus Britannice regionis, que
Demetia vocatur, quidam regulus nomine Gluigius reg-
nabat, a quo tota ipsius regionis monarchia omnibus diebus
vitse suse Gleuguissig nuncupatur, qui decem liberos proge-
nisse fertur. Cujus primogenitus Gunleius vocabatur; a
cujus etiam nomine post patris obitum ipsa quam rexit pa-
tria Gundliauc usque in presentem diem vocatur. Cujus
germani, ut ingenui et bone indolis fratres, natalicio more,
pacifice, diligenterque patrium regnum inter se, secundum
eorundem numerum unicuique suam provinciam, diviserunt,
excepto solum quarto Petroco, qui transitoriam pro perpe-
tua sprevit hereditatem. Quorum nomina, cum provinciis
sibi adjacentibus, hec sunt; Primogenitus quippe Gundleius
primariam regni genitoris sui sedem, videlicet Gundliauc
sortitur; Etelic autem obtinuit Etelichion; Poul, Penni-
chen; Seru, Seruguumd; Gurai, Gurinid; Mar, Margan;
Cettil,Chettgueli; Cornouguil, Cornoguatlan ; Metel, Cruc-
metil. Petrocus autem, unus ex eis, partem cum illis non
accepit, qui quidem hujus seculi vanitates momentaneasque
respuens illecebras penitus sanctorum exemplo patrum,
mundana pro celestibus vilipend ere, Deo firmiter cepit ad-
herere, patriam, germanos, cuncta quoque mundana demum
JEx. MS. Cott. Lib. Brit. Mus. Vesp. A. xiv, p. 17. col. cum Titus, D. xxii, p. 51.
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 23
deserere; peregrinus quoque nutu Dei in terram Cornubi-
ensium ad territorium quod vocatur Botmenei tandem pro-
venit; ibidemque in tota vita ejus Deo devotissime servivit;
sed et maximum monasterium eodem in ejus honore con-
structum est; atque festivitas ejusdem venerabiliter, velut
precipue sanctorum Solempnitates, celebratur II Nonis
Junii. — Explicit Prefatio.
INCIPIT PROLOGUS IN VITA EJUSDEM SANCTI. AMEN.
Post multum vero temporis intervallum prefatus rex
Gundleius, jam regno fretus, quandam nobilissimis or tarn na-
talibus puellam, eleganti quidem specie, sed et forma valde
decoram, sericisque redimitam vestibus, cujus nomen Gula-
dus, cujusdam reguli filiam qui vocabatur Braclianus, pro
ejus dulcissima fama flagranti affectu, sibi legittime copulari
conjugio quesivit. Exin quum plures ad patrem virginis
direxit legatos, qui sibi eandem in conjugem despondi ob-
nixius postularent. Pater vero puelle, accepta legatione,
indignatus, furoreque repletus, filiam suam illi despondere
renuit, atque nuntios despexit, eosdemque sine honore di-
misit; quod nimis egre ferentes atque domino suo nuntian-
tes queque erga eos acta fuerant, redierunt. Quo audito,
rex nimia debachans furore trecentos quamtocius armavit
vernulas, quo premissam puellam vi raperent; deinde pro-
tinus iter arripientes ut ad prescript! reguli curiam ventum
est, que vocatur Talgarth, memoratam virginem ante con-
clavis sue januam cum ipsius sororibus sedentem pudicisque
sermonibus vacantem reperiuut; quam statim vi capientes
festinato cursu regrediuntur.
Quo accepto, genitor ipsius Braclianus dolore cordis tac-
tus, intrinsecus amissionem karissima? natse lugentis, vocavit
in auxilium sibi cunctos amicos et concessores suos ad eru-
endam natam suam. Convenientibus autem universis
auxiliariis suis, citatis cursibus, persequitur hostem suosque
complices; quos cum conspexisset Gundleius, jussit sepius
dictam puellam afferi, illamque secum equitare fecit. Ipse
24 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
quidem haut fugiendo, ceterum pedetentim secum gestans
adolescentulam in equo, exercitum precessit suos milites
expectando, et ad bellum viriliter hortando. Brachanus
vero cum suis immitem regem suosque satellites audacter
aggrediens, prostratis ducentis, persecutus est eos usque ad
collem, qui est in utriusque patriae confinio, qui Britannica
lingua Bochriucarn nuncupatur, quod maxilla lapideae vise
interpretatur. At ubi Gundleius corpora incolumis cum
prenotata virgine, licet plurima strage, mestus preliando cum
adversariis, terminos terras suae attigisset, ecce tres heroes
strenui, Arthurus cum duobus equitibus suis, Cei videlicet
et Bedguir, super cacumen supradicti collis cum alea luden-
tes consedere.
Illis enimvero cernentibus regem cum puella sibi appro-
pinquentem, Arthurus ilico libidine in amorem adolescen-
tule nimium succensus, ac iniqua cogitatione plenus conso-
dalibus inquit, "Scitote me vehementer in concupiscentiam
puelle hujus quam ille miles equitando devehit accendi."
At illi prohibentes eum, dixerunt. " Absit a te tantum sce-
lus patrari ; nos enim soliti sumus inopes anxiosque juvare,
quocirca huic angustato prelio certaminis, concurrentes ci-
cius subveniamus." At ille, "Quum ambo mavultis ei sucur-
rere quam puellam milii ab eo violenter diripere, pergite
obviam eis, ac quis illorum sit heres diligenter hujus terrae
sciscitamini." Illis autem confestim abeuntibus, et pro re-
gis precepto sciscitantibus, Gundleius respondit, "Testante
Deo, et omnibus Brittanorum peritissimis, istius terra} here-
dem me esse profiteer." Reversisque nuntiis ad dominum
suum, retulerunt quro ab illo audierant. Turn Arthuro so-
siisque ejus armatis, in hostes Gundleii irruunt, eosque ver-
sis tergis, cum magna confusione ad patrium solum fugave-
runt. Tune Gundleius per patrocinium Arthuri triumphans,
ad suum palacium cum prescripta virgine Gladusa perrexit,
quod erat situm in illo colle, qui ab ejus nomine deinceps
vocabumm Brittannice, Altgundliu, id est Collis Gundleii
accepit; nam a Gundleio Gunliauc, a Brachano vero Bre-
chcniauc voeatur.
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 25
INCIPIT VITA EJUSDEM SANCTI. IX KAL. FEBRUARII.
1. De angelica revelatione, et nativitate Sancti Cadoci.
Igitur peractis his omnibus, Gundleius rex prescript am
genitam Brachani, Gladusa nomine, legitimo sibi sociavit
conjugio ; qua? concepit, ast mirum dictu per singulas noc-
tes, ab hora conceptionis ejus, in quattuor angulis domus, in
qua manebat quattuor lampades igneo splendore coruscantes,
quoad peperit filium suum primogenitum visse sunt. Et in
hoc nempe patet omnibus quod infans ab utero matris a
Deo constat electus, juxta illud vaticinium Ysaye prophete,
" Ex utero matris tuse elegi te," Et alibi, " De ventre matris
mea3 vocavit me Dominus."
Quadam vero nocte, quidam ex Gundleii latronibus ad
quoddam oppidum, in quo quidam religiosus Hibernensis,
heremita Deo devotius serviens, nomine Meuthi, habitabat,
furandi causa pervenerunt, quos prenotatus Gundleius op-
pido fures diligebat, eosque sepius ad latrocinia instigabat.
Sed idem heremita nullam terrenam substantiam, excepta
una bove feta possidebat, omnium illius provincine optima,
cujus copioso lacte ipse heremita cum suis duodecim minis-
tris sufficienter reficiebantur, quam prenotati fures nequiter
furati sunt. In ipsa quoque nocte, quo hoc scelus perpe-
tratum est, Gladusa crebro dicti regis conjunx primogenitum
natum peperit. Vox etiam eadem nocte de crelo in somp-
nis ad patrem infantis facta est, dicens, "Quidam sanctus
presbyter atque anachorita crastino nutu Dei, ad te diliculo
veniet, quem cum respexeris humiliter devoteque eum sus-
cipe, ipse quoque genuflectendo medullitus implora, qua-
tinus lavacro regenerations filium tuum purificet, nomenque
ejus Catmail vocabitur. At ubi septimum annum etatis
peregerit, eidem regeneratori suo studio informandum
tradas."
Huic etiam venerabili presbitero similiter ipsa nocte appa-
ruit angelus Domini, dicens ei. " Surge velociter, succinge
te, et calcia caligas tuas, nani bos tua a furibus exstat ablata,
26 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
quapropter ad earn indagandum accelera ; Cum vero regis
Gundlei ad atrium perveneris, ibi proculdubio earn repcries;
quinimo filium ipsius regis apud quern vacca tua tenetur, Dei
jtissu baptizare festina, deinceps vero postquam septennis
fuerit eum sanctarum scripturarum apicibus institues."
Prefatus itaque rex, eadem nocte, cuncta que sompniaverit
uxori sua3 Gladusse narravit priusquam prenotatus hermita
illo pervenisset, indeque illam non minime letificavit. Se-
quenti etenim die supradictus sacerdos discipulis comitatus
Dei amminiculo matutinus, ad adipiscendam vaccam suam
ad triclinium in quo dormierat rex profectus ; attamen
attrocibus ostiariis resistentibus haut introivit; quo com-
perto a rege celeriter intrare permittitur, restituta sibi bove
quam amiserat ovanter suscipitur. Nam vero rex ilium
respexit, statim ipsum esse servum Dei divino sibi re-
velatum oraculo cognovit, pronusque demissis obttitibus
enixius viro Dei supplicavit quod suum salutis lavacro
baptizaret filium. Ille quidem peticionibus inimici sui pa-
rens ex angelico precepto puerum baptizavit, juxta illud
dominicum preceptum. "Diligite inimicos vestros, bene-
facite his qui oderunt vos, et orate pro persequentibus et
calumpniantibus vos, ut sitis filii patris vestri, qui in celis
est." Sed in hujus baptismatis officio, miro prodigio quantus
ptier foret divina potencia dignatur ostendere. Cum nam-
que vir Dei Meuthi filium prememorati basilei baptizare
vellet, ministri regis, nomine Snaudrentia, longo fatigati
itinere inopia laticis, querimoniosa vocem audientia Meuthi
servi Dei causantur, testificantes se de longe humeris lim-
pham diatim gestare. Respondit eis Meuthi, " Oremus om-
nes Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, ut nobis famulis
suis, atque huic infantulo ex utero matris a se electo lati-
cem effluentem impertiatur." Completa namque oratione,
fons ingens erupit, qui scaturiens effusius fluvium fecit; quo
facto, cunctis exultantibus, et Deum laudantibus, beatus
Meuthi responsorium dixit fluminis impetus letificat eivi-
tatem Dei. Porro cum quaedam mulier puerulum ad ilium
sacrum fontem in ulnis gestaret, qui sancti prefati hermitac
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 27
orationibus nuper de terra erupit, ut baptizaretur, ille do
brachiis se ferentis exiliens, tribus saltibus sine cujuspiam
gestamino, ad predictum fontem convolavit.1 Quod mira-
culum ad promulgandam penes se gratiam pueruli divina
benignitas peregit; secundum illud Salmographi, "Mirabilis
Deus in sanctis suis." Tres istius infantuli saltationes mis-
ticum sancte Trinitatis numerum designant, id est Patrem
et Filium, et Spiritum Sanctum, cujus toto conamine ju-
giter effectui mancipavit obsequium, indies de virtute in
virtutem ut Deum deorum in Syon mereretur videre
conscendere studens. Postquam autem beatus Meuthi cum
solum saltantem conspexit, alacriori gaudens animo maturius
eunclem in ipso sacro fonte baptizavit, atque pro precepto
angelico nomen ei Cathmail imposuit.
2. Qualiter puer Cadocus sancto Meuthio eruditur.
Renatum ergo gratia baptismatis infantem pro baptizan-
tium more prescriptus presbiter parentibus suis reconsig-
navit, dicens, "Istum puerulum a me angelico jussu lavacro
salutis expiatum letanter suscipite, atque a cunctis nocuis
rebus septem annorum spacio servate, bisque transactis
eum divinis instruendum paginis statuite." His auditu ex-
haustis pueri genitor sancto presbitero, ait "Tibi pre omni
bus Britannise doctoribus meum filium commendo, quatinus
evoluto prefinito annorum curriculo, ilium liberalibus arti-
bus divinisque dogmatibus erudias; quia tu es verus Dei
cultor, plurimorumque discipulorum peritus doctor." Ad
hec Sanctus Meuthi respondet, "Cuncta que mihi preceperis
super hoc puerulo, libentius Deo annuente effectui manci-
pabo." His peractis, ut dictum est, Sanctus Meuthi adepta
predicta bove gaudens ad propriam repedavit seclem.
3. De Fonte subito erumpente ad baptismum pueri in
ydromelle converso.
Ceterum nequaquam silentio duximus pretereundum
quod divina miseratio ad manifestandum crebro memorati
1 In margine, Seque ter in nomine Sancte Trinitatis in unda submersit.
28 VITA SANCTI CADQCI.
pucri penes se gratiam, de prefato fonte in quo Sanctus
Catmail, qui et Cadocus baptizatus est efficerc voluit. In
prime autem anno post baptismum Sancti Cadoci, prout a
peritioribus Britannorum senibus fertur, in medonis saporem
atque colorem conversus est. In secundo vero anno lacteum
vero colorem dulcedinemque per totum annum reservavit.
Ergo si qui illius patrise habitatores, in qua fons iste pro pre-
missi heremite oratione et Sancti Cadoci amore de terra ad
eorumdem utilitatem scaturavit, bibissent, nunquam defe-
cisset, nee sua dulcedine amisisset. At ubi maxima lis at
que dissentio inter iniquos heredes orta est, ita ut illius
fontis causa dirius alterutrum pugnarent, plurimaque ex eis
perpetrata strage, centum videlicet viris rusticani agminis
trucidatis, multis que vulneratis, tandem reliqui sanguino-
lentis vestibus ac caballis ad proprias remearunt sedes.
Icirco Deus omnium largitor bonorum, qui per hunc fontem
benevolentiam ostendere dignatus est, per eorum quoque
nequitiam atque injuriam indignatus ac exasperatus, pre-
misse scatebre liquorem in suse insipidatis naturam redire
fecit, secundum illud Moysi, " Abscondam faciem meam,"
inquid Dominus, "ab eis, et considerabo novissima eorum,
generatio enim perversa est et infideles filii." Evoluto
ergo septem annorum lustro, cunctis Imjus mundi spretis
illecebris, sponte cum parentum licentia puer Cadocus se
magisterio pii baptizatoris1 sui Meuthii sacris apicibtis des-
ciplinisque liberalibus imbuendum tradidit. At ille gra-
tanter eundem suscipiens ex angelico precepto, studiosius
ilium Donate Priscianoque, nee non aliis artibus, per annos
duodecim diligentius instruxit. Ut igitur pise memorie
Cadocus puerilem decucurrit etatem, Deo nimium devotus
cepit existere, et ad sempiternal vita? patriam totis viribus
anhelarc moribus egregiis, puericiam superans nulli ani-
mum voluptati contulit. Nam illud Evangeliste de puero
lesu, ex isto etiamipsius famulo indigne dici crederer. "Puer
crescebat et comfortabatur, et Spiritus Dei erat cum illo."
1 Regeneratoris, scribitur quasi emcmlatio.
VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
4. De animadversatione rustic! puero Cadoco ignem dare
nolentis.
Quodam quippe die foco eorum extincto supradictus pres-
biter auditori suo caduco precepit ignem ad coquendamescam
deferre. Ille nimirum preceptoris sui mandate obtemperans
extemplo ad trituratorium sive segetis excussorium, in quo
manebat quidam doctoris ejus servus, nomine Tidum, in ilia
hora avenam siccans perexit, obnixius flagitans quo sibi ignem
ad magistri opus tribueret. Ast stolidus rusticus ille petition-
em ipsius respuenSjilli se daturum renuit, ne carbones in birro
suo ardentes deportaret. Ipse autem in Domino confidens,
carbones ignis in clamide suo suscipiens, ad eruditorem suum
inusta veste attulit. Sed non est reticendum quod ille rus
ticus dignam obstinationis suse animadversionem velocius
presensit. Nam puer revertendo in fusticum respexit, erec-
tis incelum luminibus Dominum precabatur, dicens, "Queso
te Deum Patrem omnipotentem celi et terre conditorem,
qui servis tuis calcandi scorpiones, extinguendi venena, de-
mones fugandi, cecos illuminandi, leprosos mundandi, infir-
mos sanandi, feroces domandi, peccatores atque impios sub-
jugandi, in terram potestatem contulisti, auribus percipe
preces meas, quatinus iste rusticus suorum fomento titionum
cum trituratorio et farre suo pariter concremetur, suumque
trituratorium sit maledictum a Deo, ita ut nullus alms
post ipsius obitum illo utetur in evum, suaque soboles aliis
gentibus sit subjecta. Non ideo, Domine, his obsecration-
ibus bonitati tuse supplicavi, quo prescriptum peccatorem
optarem in suo flagitio condempnari, cum Dominus dicat,
'Nolo mortem peccatoris, sed magis ut convertatur, et vivat;'
Et Paulus, 'Non reddentes malum pro malo, nee maledictum
pro maledicto, sed e conVerso, benedicentes.' Verum uti
virtus divina et potestas in hoc mundo esset scelerosis ma-
nifesta, teque magis paverent, tibi quoque ministrantibus
resistere abhorrarunt,quemadmodum in Daniele legitur, Pa-
veant omnes habitantes terram Deum Danielis, quia ipse
est liberator et salvator, faciens mirabilia in celo et in terra."
Finita supplicatione, seque retro prospiciente, ecce triturato-
CO VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
rium ab ipso anatematizatum cum stolido villano superius
declarato succensum prorsus exuritur. In illo etiam loco in
quo trituratorium seu excussorium illud situm erat, post
illius adustationem fons horribilis in memoria hujus divine
vindicte emanavit, qui pullum paludem ibidem efficiens
liactenus in memoriam illius rei permanet.
Docilis autem puer Cadocus, quamtotius regrediens car-
bones ignis ab inusto birro, sub oculis sui preceptoris pro-
jecit. His ut dictum est perpetratis, ait ei senior, "Karissime
discipule, serve Dei electe, mini diutius docere non licet."
His acceptis bone indolis adolescens verens ne doctoris
ipsius indignationem forte quopiam commisso promeruisset,
cum gemitu suspirans, inquid, "Ut quid mini preirasceris,
ac furor tuus super me velut ignis succenditur: Nunquam
inobediens usque tibi verbo vel opere fui, an accusator, et
susurro inter fratres extiti?" Respondens autem Meuthius,
ait, "Nequaquam, sed utpote legitur in Evangelic de centu-
rione, Christum quo suum curaret puerum flagitante, dixit
illi, 'Domine, non sum dignus ut sub tecto meo mecum am-
plius habites,' ac a me lectionem recipias, nam tua sapientia
meam excedit scientiam ; et innocentia tua meam supere-
minet prudentiam, meque modis omnibus sanctior extas;
iccirco cum divino presidio meaque benedictione angelis te
ubique comitantibus, quocumqe decreveris prospere perges."
Tune sacer Meuthius cogitans de sacro supradicto igne
post Cadoci discessum, quern ille nullatenus ausus est uti,
abiit ut tanquam preciosum thesaurum in cimiterio defos-
sum occuluit. Ab illo siquidem die, usque ad tempus Hiu-
guel regis, filii Ougueni regis Morganensium, universis fuit
notus locus ille, ubi sacer ignis a Sancto Meuthio erat re-
conditus ; nee non omnibus advenientibus eo cum suis pe-
coribus diversa clade perculsis, sanitatem divina miseratio
conferre solebat; donee quid malivolus Dei largitioni in
salutifero igne hominibus collate invidens, ne cujusquam
morbum curaret infeliciter locum ignemque denegando de-
levit. Deinde hactenus ignis locusque mansit incognitus
nulli hominum salutem tribuens.
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 31
5, De discessione Cadoci ab ejus preceptore, et permis-
sione tributa itentis cum porcella.
Igitur Sancttis Cadocus a sepius memorato informatore
suo mestus discedens, crebris gemitibus locum aptum ad Dei
servicium diligenter quesivit, nee diu voto frustratus. Tan
dem ad quandam vallem spinis tribulusque obsitam devenit;
ibi nempe lassitude paululum sub umbra pomifere arboris
pausare coegerat; ast sues inpascentes illo conspecto per-
territi, citato cursu, ad subulcum confugerunt. At ubi
porcos pavore conterritos intuitus est, repletus ira concitus
surrexit suamque hastam arripiens quaquaversum in spilionis
more quoque perscrutans, uti perciperet quis vel quid suos
porcos terreret. Unde contingit eum supervenire ad lo
cum quo Sanctus Cadocus orabat penes prefatoe arboris ra
dices, illumque intuitus furum esse autumans, quern librata
sursum dextra mucrone lancese terebrare conatur; sed Deus
ex alto nequitiam subulci prospectans protensum lacertum
ilico fecit obrigescere; ita ut nee ilium ad se retrahere, nee
inantea extendere valuit, visumque utrumque luminum sta-
tim amisit. Ita non dubie venerabilis Cadocus discrimen
rabiemque furibundi subulci, nutu Dei laudabiliter evasit.
Subulcus autem miserandis vocibus clamans, pedibus ac
leva solotenus palpans hoc suorum detrimento membrorum,
cognovit Cadocum Dei famulum esse quern nescius occidere
volebat, illumque miserabiliter in liunc moclum affatur,
" Enixis vestram pietatem deposco precibus quatinus pro in-
effabili Dei misericordia me incorporeis arcatum divina ul-
tione vinculis meos miseros artus solvas, ac mese cecitate
lumen ablatum concedas." Ad hec Sanctus Cadocus, " Tibi
sanitas a Deo concessa non est, annon quum ad dominum
tuum, scilicet Poul Pennychen pervenias." At ille, " Animad-
verte, fidelissime serve Dei, me geminis orbatum luminibus
meumque miserabile corpus velut ferreis catenis connexum,
quamobrem liinc uspiam migrare nequeo." Cui Cadocus in-
quid, "Crede tantum quam Deo cuncta possibilia sunt in cgelo,
et in terra." At ille respondit, "Credo domine." Rursusque
32 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
beatus vir ait ad eum, "Qui ceci nati oculos aperuit, et qua-
triduanum Lazarum de monumento suscitavit, ipse tuos
oculos aperiat, omniumque artuum tuorum in presentia do-
mini tui, et ejusdem consessorum citissime medela largia-
tur; tibimet eciam precipio quatinus cum que domino tuo
qua? tibi per me a Deo sunt illata nunciaveris, receptoque
luminum visu, eum mei vice salutes, et velocius ad me ve-
niat quo ejusdem aspectu pariter et affatu potiri merear
attentibus postules; patruus enim meus est." His acceptis,
cecus at que calamitosus extimplo surrexit de pollicita sibi
per Dei misericordiam sospitate nichil hesitans, nutanti
gressu Dei ducatu ad portam atrii, quo dominus ejus habita-
bat, quod Britannice Nant Poul vocitatur, inestimabiliter
progreditur: cecaque fronte fores pulsans, voce magna os-
tiarios exclamat, et ingressum flebiliter exorat. Janitores
etenim ilium intuentes, ipsiusque calamitate compatientes,
quomodo visum amiserit, aut unde tanta debilitas ei acci-
derit, sollicite percunctantur. Ille plane nil respondendo
conticescens, in aula domini sui ingreditur, eique astans
cuncta sibi que a Deo per Sanctum Cadocum fuerunt illata
ab eo dicta lucutenter insinuavit. Cui necdum verba fini-
enti penitus, cecitate depulsa pristinus visus redditur, ab
oculis ejus velud squame piscis decidentes, arentique dextre
genium roboris restituta est virtus.
His auditu visuque perceptis, premissus Poul vehemen-
ter admirans, mandatumque viri Dei gaudentur cum ex-
ultatione suscipiens, arbitratus Sanctum Cadocum tempo-
ralem gloriam regnumque terrenum velle Dei servitio pre-
ponere continuo, se preciosiori vestium cultu induit, cum
duodecim electis militibus prescript! subulci ducatu ad vir-
um Dei letanter perrexit, eundemque sub umbra predicte
mali orantem repperit. At non modo verum ille, etiam
cuncti commilitiones ejusdem, statim caballis ejus descen-
dentes, pedibus beati Cadoci pervolvuntur, ipsumque talibus
adoriuntur, "Nos de tuo felici adventu dignas Deo gratiarum
actiones referimus, plurimumque gavisuri ; si neglecto reli-
gionis cultu, regali sceptro, prout dignitatem tuam decet,
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 33
te donari promiseritis, quandoquidem principalis hujus regni
heres es, tibique tocius regni jura competunt, omnesque tuse
dicioni subjeciemur." Quibus Sanctus Cadocus, "Divine re-
ligionis cultum pro fallacis inundi oblectatione nullatenus
deseram, nee celestibus terrena preponam, neque sempiterna
pro momentaneis spernam; ceterum unius tugurii locus de
tota terra tua michi sufficiet." Respondit ei subregulus, " Ar-
bitratus sum te pregrandia xenia rogaturum, nunc vero
minima flagitas, unde pro veri arbitrio locum eligens posside."
Cui beatus vir ista exequitur, "Tedet me hujus solitudinis
diversa loca lustrare, hanc autem yallem ab humana non
parum habitatione remotam pre omnibus ad inhabitandum,
eligo hicque cum meis consodalibus clericis Deo devocius
obsequendum opens precium duco, secundum illud psalmo-
graphi, 'Haec requies mea in seculum seculi, hie habitabo
quum elegi earn.' " His hujuscemodi patratis, ac postulata
mansione beato Cadoco sponte contributa, prememoratus
subregulus repedavit ad propria.
Venerabilis igitur vir sequentem cum clericis suis obse-
crationibus ad Deum contiuuabat noctem, quatinus locum
sibimet construendi insinuaret, ac frutectis avulsis in pla-
num redigeret. Nam in ip'sa valle nil aridi extitit, sed pur-
ulenta palus, nichil preter arundinetum diverso reptilium et
colubrorum genere refertum gignens, excepto unius rubi
ambitu, subtus quern ingens aper nivei coloris suos anfrac-
tus habebat; medio quoque ejusdem rubi vertice, cignus
annuatim nidificare solebat. Ut autem venerandus heros
orationem complesset, ecce Angelus Domini apparuit in
sompnis, dicens ei, "Oratio tua a Domino exaudita est, er
go mane diliculo surgens, locum edificandi oratorii compla-
natumatque inundatum invenies; cumque ibidem deambu-
laveris setosum grandevumque aprum candidum gressuum
tuorum strepitu perterritum exilire perspicies, ibique fun-
damentum templi tui in nomine Sancte Trinitatis jacias;
deinceps quippe quo aper denuo substiterit dormitorium
instituas, indeque qua cursus sui stationem tertiam fecerit,
refectorium tuum construas." Surgens autem mane Sanctus
34 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
Cadocus, secundum angeli revelationem qua3que aspera
atque dumosa Dei nutu solotenus in directum conspexit re-
dacta. Venit itaque venerandus vir ex angelico jussu ad
prefatum rubum medii vallis expiati ob cujus incessus son-
itum immanem singularem aprum exurgere, cignumquc
nivei colons timore nido depulsum avolare contemplatus est.
Aper namque haut procul a prenotato spineto cursum sistit,
et quasi locum designando Sanctum Cadocum respiciens,
paululum ulterius progreditur, iterum etiam paulisper cur-
sum continuans subsistit. Beatus igitur vir ternas apri sta-
tiones trium virgularum affixione notavit; in prima deni-
que statione insigne monasteriolum ex lignorum materie,
in secunda refectorium, in tercia demum dormitorium edi-
ficavit.
6. Qualiter vir Dei primum monasterium construxit.
Postquam autem hoc miraculum cunctis Occidentalium
Brittonibus promulgatur, ex variis totius Brittanisc oris
quamplures clerici ad Sanctum Cadocum adinstar fluminum
solotenus avidius confluxerunt, ut sapientiam actusque illius
imitari mererentur, omnes enim qui Dei constantius obse-
quiis insudabant, divinisque Scripturis operam dabant, ala-
criter semper suscipiebat. Dehinc cepit vir venerandus
vastum acervum de terra erigere, atque in eodem pulcher-
rimum cimiterium in honorem Dei dedicatum facere, quo
fidelium corpora circa templi ambitum sepelirentur. Com-
pleto denique acervo, necnon in eodem cimiterio confecto,
quatuor immensas calles in transversum quatuor declivia
montium suam cellam ambientium ex aviis per vias fecit, se-
quendo corporaliter, ac spiritualiter evangelicam doctrinam,
quse ait, "Parate viam Domino, rectas facite semitas ejus."
Similiter iste vir Dei non modo manibus corporaliter oper-
ando prava indirecta et aspera in vias planas direxit, verum
etiam nonnullorum corda diversis erroribus hispida ac per-
versa in viam Domini rectam convertit. Item alium sibi
locum elegit, et in illo alium tumulum in modum urbis
rotundum de limo terrse exagerari, ac in tumulum erigi fecit,
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 35
quod Brittonum idiomate KASTIL CADOCI nuncupatur.
Idem etenim manuum suarum operibus par duxit vitam
transigere, metuens alterius labores otiose comedere, spe-
rans aporiamine presentis sudoris, se transmigratumm ad
gloriam perpetue quietis, secundum illud Psalmographi, "La-
bores manuum tuarum qui manducab," et cetera. Et apos-
tolus, "Unusquisque vestrum manibus suis operando laboret
ut habeat unde tribuat necessitatem pacientibus," et rursum,
"Nullus ex vobis panem ociosum comedat; et qui non la-
borat, nee manducet." Iste quidem licet plurimorum agro-
rum possessor extiterit, in uno tamen fertili jugere annonam
serere consuevit, qui indigenarum lingua Eruguenn1 vocari.
Notumque sit universis pii patris Cadoci vitam legentibus
atque audientibus ipsum juger ob benedictionem et sancti-
tatem viri Dei hoc venerabile vocabulum obtinuisse.
7. Quomodo Cadocus ad Hiberniam transfretavit.
Contigit igitur quod in una dierum post multum tempo-
ris intervallum, beatus Cadocus discipulos suos liujusmodi
affatus est, dicens, "Fratres mei dilectissimi, jam flagrant!
desiderio ad Hiberniam discendi gratia, transfretare glisco."
At illi respondentes inquiunt, " Scimus quidem, benigne pre
ceptor, te que Dei sunt velle, tuamque ex Dei voluntate
pendere sententiam, quippe quodcunque ab eo poposeris e
vestigio impetrabis; nichil enim pravi, neque perversi sentis,
sed in divinis Scrip turis jugiter meditari melius fore nos-
cis; juxta illud proverbiorum Sapientis, 'Fili, a juventute tua
excipe doctrinam, et ad canos invenies sapientiam, et erit
tibi tanquam pater et mater.' " Postque lembum sibi robus-
tum pice oblitum in portu pelagi parare jubet, ut in eo
tutius Hiberniam navigaret. Convenientes autem ipsius
quique discipuli, in hsec verba prorumpunt, "Domine, quo-
cumque ieris, te sequimur." Ait illis, " Quidam vestrum me-
cum proficiscantur; alii autem hie maneant, ut meum mo-
nasterium oppidumque fideliter servent, donee veniam." Et
1 Id est, Candidus juger.
3G VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
factum est ita. Transfretavit itaque Sanctus Cadocus Hi-
bernicum mare, tempestiveque prospero cursu appellitur.
Qui maturius inter Hibernenses veniens, precellentissimum
illius gentis didascalorum studiosius astipulando indagare
sategit, quatinus ab illo septem liberalium artium disciplinis
profectius informaretur ; qui fluenta doctrina flagrantius
sitiens, ad principalem ejusdem patriae civitatem quse Lis-
mor Muchutu vocatur, tandem pervenit prospere. Ibidem-
que a doctissimo illius pagi magistro totiusque cleri contu-
bernio gratanter susceptus, pro sui sanctitate ac humilitate,
nomine primoris Sancti ejusdem civitatis, Muchutu, scilicet,
eum cognominaverunt ; quo cum illo summo doctore tribus
annis mansit, donee perfectionem totius occidentalis sci-
entise adipisci promeruit. In eadem civitate atque monas-
terium in honore Sancti Cadoci constructum esse ferunt.
8. Quomodo Cadocus ab Hibernia repatriavit.
Evolutis tribus annis, cum copioso clericorum Hibernen-
sium atque Brittonum comitatu de Hibernia celeberrime
repatriavit, inter quos religiosi doctissimi viri Finian
videlicet Macmoil, atque Gnavan, celebriores totius gregis
discipulorum peritissimeque Brittonum extitisse feruntur.
Dehinc vero Brittannicum litus attigit, cum suis clientibus
in partes Brecheniauc secessit, acceperat enim quendam
famosum rhethoricum, cui nomen Bachan, nuper de Italia
ad illas horas advenisse. Ut autem beatus Cadocus famam
ipsius scientia3 auditu percepit ab illo Romano more Lati-
nitate doceri non minimum optavit. Facta est autem in
ilia tempestate fames valida in regione Brecheniauc. Cum
sanctus vir ad prememoratum dogmatistam venisset, tune
Sanctus Cadocus suppliciter rogavit quo suum dignaretur
suscipere discipulatum ; cui ille respondit, "Fili mi, presto
sum, ceterum admodum timeo ne tibi condiscipulis tuis victus
deficiat, et inedia afficiamini." His auditis, vir Domini in
Domino valde confidens, obsecrationibus quoque insistens,
mestas genas lacrimis rigavit, quo sibi super his ab omnium
largitore consuleretur ; quocirca in illius diei articulo con-
VITA
SANCTT CADOCI. 37
tigit quenclam murem do sua egrcssum caverna granum fru-
menti more ad beatum Cadocutn concite 'deferre, et super
tabulam ante ipsum positam ludenter illud suis obtutibus
preponere. Idem etiam mus septies eundo et redeundo,
totidem triticea grana, et in suo volumine abdidit, animad-
vertens indicio divinam sibi adesse miserationem. Tandem
vero itidem musculum comprehendens pede ligavit, ut hujus
rei archanum diligenter indagaret ; deinceps predictum
scolasticum accersiens, grana depromsit, queque gesta erant
etiam ei nucleatius intimavit. Cognoscentibus siquidem
utrisque miraculum a Deo sibi propalatum, inito consilio,
Cadocus a quadam vidua prolixum ac gracilem filum peciit
et accepit, quo pede muris innexo se precedentem laxato filo
sequitur, donee idem reptile ad quendam tumulum, sub quo
erat pulcherrima subterranea domus antiquitus fabricata
purgato tritico referta, venisse. Ibique per opacum foramen
interius mox illapsum, citiusque regressum, unum, ut prius
frumenti granum in ore suo reportavit. Attamen quis
eandem domum patrasset, sen quis ibi tarn magnse quantita-
tis triticum reposuisset, hue usque constat incognitum.
Verum certissime scitur id esse divinum munus ob suam so-
/
daliumque propulsandam egestatem, famulo Dei contribu-
turn ; quo viso, Sanctus Cadocus ad suum preceptorem, con-
soladesque reversus queque contemplatus fuerat eis nunti-
avit, quum magister in hunc modum alloquitur. "In hoc
cognosco quod verus Dei cultor es, et ab illo corroboraris
in universis itineribus, quamobrem avidius ex toto corde
meo desidero, quo legendi gratia quoad tibi placuerit,
mecum consistas." Ista vero cum predictus Dei famulus
auribus hausisset, non minimum gavisus, in quid. " Si jubes,
Domine Pater, hoc dominicum munus frumenti egenis et
famelicis istius patria}. erogabimus neu nobis illius sapientis
sententia merito inferatur. ' Qui abscondit frumentum
maledicitur in populis ; benedictio autem super capud tri-
buentium.'" Habitatum ergo cum prememorato doctore
lConcitOj forte.
F
38 VITA SANCTI CADOOI.
sibi a Deo collatam annonam cunctis indigentibus unicuique
pro modulo sure penuriae distribuens. Porro latins hoc mi-
raculo per provinciam crebrescente, Bracliani auribus avi
beati Cadoci digna admiratione letus rumor insonsuit, qui
partcm agri illius, in 'quo triticum repertum cst, qui Lann-
spitit nuncupatur, viro Dei donavit, in quo loco sanctus vir
monasterium sibi edificavit.
0. De reditu beati Cadoci ad ejus precipuum monaster
ium.
Beatus igitur Cadocus ut efficaciter disciplinarum doc-
toris se senserat imbutum, suo didascalo Brachano, ac quibus-
dam clientium ejus suum oratorium commendans, ad proprias
sui cari runs sedes Landcarvan scilicet remeavit. Aliud
qtioque miraculum ejusdem venerabilis patris fertur fuisse ;
nara cum ad proprium oppidum Landcarvan, ex quo din
discesserat, repedasset, suum principale monasterium diru-
tum, tignisque laquearium rudere per cimiterium dispersis
intuitus, mine condoluit, gliscens illud, Deo conveniente, de-
nuo re-edificare. Accitis ergo cunctis clericis, operariisque
nonnullis, ad silvam cum omnibus ad deferendum lignorum
materiem tetendit, exceptis duobus efFebis, Finian videli
cet et Macmoil, qui cum viri Dei licentia quo lectioni
vacarent remanserunt. Turn repente economus, cocus,
atque sepeliarius venientes objurgati sunt cos, dicentes,
"Quamdui inobedientes nilque boni gerentes cum condisci-
pulis vestris, operari indignantes, panem otiosum comeditis ;
cja properantius ad nemus euntes, lignorum materiem cum
sociis vestris ocius hue advehite." At illi respondentes, in-
quiunt, " Numquid more bourn plaustra gestare valemus?"
Ipsi vero geminos cervos juxta lucum stantes deridendo
ostendunt eis, talia prosequentes, " Ecce duo robusstissimi
boves secus silvam stant, materius1 pergentes, comprehendite
eos." Ipsi vero pergentes, apertum codicem pre magna
festinatione, quo sedebant sub divo apertum relinquentes ;
1 Pro maturing.
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 39
cervos in nomine Christ! se prestolari jusserunt, qui statim
sue ferocitatis obliti, mansuetius operientes illos indomita
colla jugo submittunt.
At illi nimia trabe quum vix quattuor robust! boves attra-
here possent, illigata jugo cervis imposito, illos velut do-
mesticos boves domum obligunt, ibique jugo dtejunctps, ad
pascua redire permittunt. Intuens autem Sanctus Cadocus
nimium hoc facto admiratus, suscitatus est eos, inquiens,
" Quis vobis imperavit ad me transire, sine lectione dimissa,
lignis attrahendi operam dare ?" Illi vero invectiones trium
prescriptorum virorum in illos stomacantium ei narra-
verunt, Qui furore succensus, hujuscemodi maledictione pre-
memoratis tribus officialibus jussit, "Hoc faciat eis Deus," et
addat, "ut illi tres pessima morte gladio, sen fame necati
deficiant." In ipsa plane bora, qua hec fiebant per univer-
sam illam regionem horrisonus imber decidit, vir
Domini premissos discipulos quo illorum reliquissent cocli-
cem inquisivit. At illipaventes dixerunt, "Quo sedebamus
Jectioni vacantes ejus pre nimia properatioiiem iminemores,
apertum sub divo dimisimus." Vir autem Dei illo regressus,
librum, a pluvia penitus illesum iiimis admiratus inuenit.
Iccirco liber ille in memoriam beat! viri, Britannica lingua
Cov Cadduc, id est Memoria Cadoci vocatur. In eodem
quoque loco in honore Sancti Finiani sita fertur capella,
quo liber ejusdem inter imbrium procellarumque turbines
aridus, et a pluvia extorris est repertus. A duobus vero su-
pradictis cervis, more bourn subjugatis, sive plaustrum ge-
rentibus, principale Sancti Cadoci oppidum a priscis Brit-
tonum colonis Nantcaruguan, id est vallis cervorum, inde
Nancarbania ex Valle scilicet et Cervo, vocabulum accepit.
10. Qualiter Sanctus David ex angelico jussione sinodum
congregavit.
In illo tempore quo hec peragebantur, Sanctus David ve-
rus Dei confessor atque Pontifex, inagnis virtutibus in Brit-
tannia claruit ; ad quern a Deo missus est angel us, dicens ei,
" Surge, ne tardaveris, omni clero senioribus, atque naiu
40 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
major! bus congregatis, Sinodum constitute." Cui beatus
David "Presto sum," inquit, "te jubente, quicquid bene-
placitum Domino fuerit, si dignus essem perficere, verum
me multo genere dignior, sanctitate prestantior, sensu saga-
tior eloquiisque sapientior ad ccadunandam Sinodum ex
Brittanicse satrapis editus, cui nomen Cadocus, in Gleuguis-
sig habitat, sine licentia cujus, et anmiuiculo, tarn grandem
rem incipere minime presumo." Ad quern angelus, "Inmi-
nimo meis obtempera jussionibus, nee ilium ullum modicum
metuas, nil enim in hac actione tibimet officiet, quum in
presens peregre proficiscetur, ceterum enimvero pro an-
gelico relatu utrumque perpetratur." Cadocus quidem pere-
grinatus est, David vero post ejus discessionem magnam
Sinodum in civitatem Brevi congregavit.
11. De peregrinatione viri Dei, et conceptum sterilis
regina? ejus precibus.
Igitur Sanctus Cadocus sine nummis et sacculo profectus,
ratam in Deo fiduciam habens, qui ait, "Dico vobis 'Ne
solicit! sitis anime vestre, dicentes quid manducabimus, aut
quid bibemus, neque corpore vestro quid induamini." Et
rursum," "Primum querite regnum Dei, et justitiam ejus, et
hec omnia adjicientur vobis," et cetera. Perrexit autem
venerabilis vir benigneque suscipitur ab omnibus ubicun-
que pervenit Exinde paulo post, illo pontuni transfretante,
sinistris aurarum flatibus inturgescentibus, in insulis Grimbul
appellatur. Ascendit autem inde ad quendam regionis illius
civitatem, in qua ditissimus quidam rex degebat, cujus uxor
sterilis existebat; quam verbo sepenumero exprobando irrita-
bat, dicens, " Discede a me, quia conjugali marito digna non
es; tua namque vulva constat a Domino maledicta, quoniam
non das fructum in terra." Audiens vero regina quod
Sanctus Cadocus in civitate venisset, festinanter occurrit
ejus vestigiis, pervoluta flebiliter ipsius benignitatem in
liunc modum exorans, "Queso te, serve Dei fidelissime,
quod pro me misera ancilla tua, et mariti crumpnis,1 ad
1 Sic in MS.
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 41
Dominum intercedere digrieris, sterilitatis enim opprobrio
quolibet morbo graviore afficior." Reliquum vero vulgus
sequebatur eum nimium de ejus admirans cursu, quasi ex
uno ore cuncti pariter dilectum Dei virum pro ea enixius
exoraverunt. Beatus vero Cadocus ait illi, " Vade in pace,
Deus det tibi petitionem quern rogasti." At ilia subjunxit,
"Utinam inveniret ancilla tua gratiam in oculis tuis, si
enim filium aut filiam genuero, Dei servitio cunctis diebus
mancipabo, tueque tutele reconsignabo." Cognovit ergo
rex eadem nocte conjugem suam, et recordatus est Dominus
illius, que concepit, ac deinceps demum filium peperit, vo-
cavitque nomen ejus, Elli.
Exinde dilectus Cadocus secessit in Gretiam, tandemque
devenit Jerusalem ; quo Christus natus, passus, et sepultus
est, a mortals resurrexit, et celum ascendit. Et ut verius
fertur, attributa sunt ei a Domino illarum gentium idiomata,
per quas eando et redeundo transibat, loquebaturque va-
riis linguis, ad instar primitive ecclesie in discipulorum
Christ! tempore. Quadam siquidem die, ipso circa templum
Domini deambulante, tria pulcherrima saxa, atque ad Christ!
omcium efficiendorum, videlicet altarium aptissima, in cimi-
terio conspicatus est, inquiens, " Utinam hii tres decentis-
simi lapides, nutu Dei levi volatu, in modo volatilium ad
meum carum monasterium forent translata." Post trium
autem annorum curriculum, isdem ad prefatas insulas re-
versus est; ibidemque puerum Ellinum repperit, quern
premissa sterilis regina post ipsius abscessu, eodem inter-
veniente, enixa fuerat. Accepit ergo eum pius Cadocus,
atque in propriis humeris gestavit, eumque contuens ab om
nibus nocuis educavit atque instruxit ; diligebat enim eum
valde super amorem genitoris et genitricis, quod mater
ilium Deo voverat, sibique servandum tradiderat, quum
quidem Dei servus electus esset.
12. De quodam satellite, qui velut fumus disparuit a
facie Cadoci.
42 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
Quidam malitiosus lictor, nomine Caraclauc, pendium in
pago Gundliauc extitit, pii Cadoci consanguineus, qui prop-
ter invicliam, post illius peregrinationem, Cimbelinum patru-
elem ipsius trucidavit. Cumque comperisset quod memoratus
vir repatriasset, nimio pavore perterritus a facie ejus celerius
aufugit ; deinde sancto viro illo persequente, sub oculis ejus
tanquam pulvis, aut fumus a facie venti, nutu Tonantis,
evanuit. "Tu affuisti, Chris te, tua? majestatis potentiam ex-
ercendo, qui ubique humiles in te credentes exaltas," ut scrip-
turn est, 'Nimis honorati sunt amici tui Deus," et cetera.
Porro postquam vir Dei ad suum proprium cenobium re-
measset, eadem tria optata saxa que tantopere prius in
Jerusalem desideraverat, quatinus in ipsius templum essent
allata, idem in suo monasterio devotius orans, tria altaria
ibidem fuisse intuitus est, quorum umnn dedit Elli, aliud
Macmoil, tertium vero sibi retinuit.
13. De predonibus tellure absortis.
Huic miraculo aliud non dissimile divina potentia ad de-
claranda viri beati merita peregit. Erat quidam dux, nomine
Sauuil, haut procul a cenobio illius degens, qui scelerosis
refertus affectibus, cum suis complicibus ad ejus habitacu-
lum veniens, cibis illinc potibusque vi direptis, atque tarn
ipso quam universis satellitibus ejus edentibus invicem,
et bibentibus ; clerici quoque super tanto dedecore flagitio-
que gementes, in ecclesiam ingressi, adventum viri Dei,
nam identidem casu deerat, invasorumque castigationem a
Domino devotius efflagitabant. Cumque magno flererit eju-
latu, et exinsperato sanctus vir adveniens causam tantse moss-
titioc diligenter ab eis inquisivit, quibus occasionem allegan-
tibus integro vultu ait, " Patientiam habete, quia patientia
est mater omnium virtutum ; sinite eos corda sua in crapula
et ebrietate gravare, temulentique simul consopientur ; eis-
dem vero in sopore depressis, acutissimis novaculis dimidiam
partem barbarum comarumque suarum in opprobrium illis
sempiternum raditote, nee non et labra suorum caballorum
auresque pariter incidite." Feceruntque quemadmodum
VITA SANCTI CADOCI 43
prseceperat eis. Deinde predones infausti parumper super-
fluitate escarum sompno digest!, tandemque pre nimia
temulentia dementes experrecti, sonipedes ascendunt, iter-
que suunr quamtotius arripiunt. Tune vir Dei dixit clericis
suis, " Induatur unusquisque vestrum vestimento suo et cal-
cimento, euntes sibi obviam, alioquin inorte moriemini,
revertetur enim hostis vester, et interficiet nos gladio, a
majore usque ad minorem, ubi se a nobis illudi animadver-
terit." Induti sunt ergo singuli vestibus suis, coopertus et
etiam Sanctus Cadocus indumento suo; secutique sunt eum
fere quinquaginta clerici obviantes funesto tiranno cum
canticis et ymnis et psalmis. Cumque conscendissent quen-
dam acervum, Sauuil pennuchel et satellites ejus descende-
bant in occursum eorum ; tune coram oculis servi Dei terra
apperuit os suum, et absorbuit tirannum vivum cum suis
propter illorum nequitiam, ne Dei virum cum clericis ejus-
dem attrociter necarent. Fossaque usque in hodiernum
diem cunctis transeuntibus liquet qua absorpti sunt, que
patula semper in hujus rei testimonium permanens a nullo
oppilari permittitur.
Reversi sunt autem bone memorie Cadocus, et clerici
ejusdem, cum magno tripudio ad propriam mansionem,
Deum glorificantes, atque fine tenus ymnum Ambrosianum,
" Te Deum laudamus," et ea que sequuntur, modulantes.
His peractis, beatus Cadocus, presentibus fratribus, bene-
dicens in Imnc modum, ait, " Benedict! vos a Domino, et
benedictum eloquium, consiliumque vestrum, hoc privi-
legium atque prerogativam Domino e^diibeat vobis duode-
cim tonsoribus, qui tipicum bissenum apostolorum figuratis
numerum, ceterisque universis in hoc pago vicem vestram
in posteruin tenentibus. Si defecerit judicium, et utile
consilium in tota hac patria, hie apud vos reperiatur; si
duodecim ordinati viri sapientes defuerunt, duodecim cleri-
corum inordinatorum consilium: si vero duodecim clerici
non affuerunt, duodecim parvulis pueris, virginibus cum
mulieribus haut coinquinatis, judicium atque consilium
permittatur."
41 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
14. De indulgentia Sancto David facta pro collecta
Sinodo.
Congregatis igitur quibusqam simul beati viri discipulis,
ad invicem dixerunt, "Quis ex nobis magistro nostro que a
Sancto David, dum peregrinaretur in Brittannia, gesta sunt,
ausus erit reserare?" Ad hec omnibus tacentibus, nee
quispiam presumpsit eidem rem allegare; miserunt ergo
sortem super hac re, ceciditque sors super Finnianum.
Surrexit itaque Sanctus Finnianus in medio fratrum, cum
ingenti trepidatione, progrediens viri Dei vestigiis proster-
nitur, devotius supplicans ne in eum succenseret, insinua-
vitque quemadmodum universa sinodus a Sancto David,
dum ille peregre proficisceretur, congregata fuerit. Que
res non minimum ei displicuit, nimioque furore contra
Sanctum David pro tali dedecore succensus, diem cum
nocte jejunio continuavit. In eadem quoque nocte, angelus
Domini convenit eum, hujuscemodi verbum dicens, " Queso
te ne irascaris in fratrem tuum ; ut enim in epistola Jo-
liannis legitur, ' Qui odit fratrem suum homicida est.' r
Indulsit quippe beato David angelico interventu hujus rei
excessum ; quapropter angelus subjunxit, " Quia obedisti
voci mee, condonastique meo precatu in te committenti,
liberavit Dominus Deus tuus plenum castellum tuum ter
de animabus hominum ab eternis penis in die judicii ; at-
que quot cirri sive jube in tua coccula, quod vulgariter
vocatur quoddam genus indumenti, quo Hibernenses utuntur
de foris, plenum prominentibus jube seu villis in modum
cinium sunt contexte*, tot homines per te a penis perpetuis
eruentur. Necnon in singulis sabbatis ab liac nocte in
sempiternum, una anima ab infernalibus cruciatibus pro tuo
amore liberetur, omnesque vestri familiares amici, qui in
hoc loco defuncti fuerint, a gehennalibus erint extorres
suppliciis; quinimo quecunque a Domino poposceris, impe-
trabis." Tune beatus Cadocus oppido gavisus surrexit, ange-
licaque promissa discipulis, inquit, "Laudate pueri Domi-
num, laudate nomen Domini, qirarn confirmata est super nos
misericordia ejus, et veritas Domini manet in eternum."
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 45
15. De Mansione Sancti Cadoci quadragesimal! tempore.
Quadragesimalibus diebus consuevit Sanctus Cadocus
manere in duabus insulis, videlicet, Barren et Ethni; in
die vero palmarum veniebat Nantcarvan, ibi expectans, et
faciens paschale servitium, cotidie pascens centum clericos,
et centum milites, et centum operarios, centumque pau-
peres, cum ejusdem numeri viduis. Hie numerus erat fa-
milie, exceptis ministris servientibus et armigeris, et adurnis
hospitibus, quoque quorum numerus erat incertus, et quo
rum multitude ad ilium crebro veniebat. Nee minim, quod
locuples multos alebat, Abbas enim erat et princeps super
Gunluc progenitorem a Fynnon Hen, scilicet a fonte antiquo
usque ad ostium Rymni numinis, totumque territorium pos-
sidebat ab amne Gulich, usque Nadauan flumen, a Penn-
tirch directe usque ad Nantcarbanensem vallem; a valle
videlicet usque amnem Gurimi, videlicet Parvam Remni
versus mare.
16. Quomodo tellus raptores absorbuit vivos, et de con-
versione Sancti Iltuti.
Quodam die cum sedisset Sanctus Cadocus in cathedra,
docens populos, quinquaginta ex militibus cujusdam reguli,
videlicet Poul, cognomine Pennichen, qui aves cum ancipi-
tribus capiebant venierites ad ilium, ut escam ab eo vellet
nollet sumerent. Quibus ille ut fertur quinquaginta panes
triticeos, ac modium, id est cupam celee plenam, pinguem
quoque suem pascualem jussit largiri. Sumptis autem om
nibus atque in campi Medetullium, qui vocatur Midgard,
non procul ab oppido securn allatis, ibidemque depositis,
circa modium cervisise ordinatim in modum circuit illud
circundando discubuerunt, porcoque frustatim in assaturis
conciso prandium attentius paravere. Erat enim quidam
princeps ejusdem militie, Iltutus nomine, quo absente, hoc
scelus patraverunt, ante cujus adventum prandere nullate-
nus presumpserunt. Illis itaque eum prestolantibus, et hac
de causa cibis preparatis abstinentibus, ecce repent e Iltutus
46 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
adveniens, sed antequam cornipede descenderet solo, subter
eos ex insperato disrumpente, in ictu oculi in profundum
abissi demerguntur, secundum illud Davitici, "Aperta est
terra, et deglutivit Dathan, et operuit super congregationem
Abiron." Esca vero modiumque quod supra tetigi celee
quodam cumulo divino subvecta prodigio intemerata atque
intacta constiterunt.
Ista siquidem premissus Iltutus propriis prospectans ob-
tutibus concito curru vestigiis beati Cadoci provolutus,
narravit quemadmodum divina vindicta consortes ejusdem
scilicet prefati reguli satellites pro illata sibi injuria perdi-
disset. Idem vero dominus ille tribunus, obnixis obsecra-
tionibus per nomen divine majestatis, virum Dei exoravit,
quo sibi habitum monachilem prestaret, eundemque divini
servitii stigmatibus come barbeque abrasione persigniret.
Turn illo precibus illius annuente, idem tribunus, relicta
terrena militia secularibusque armis funditus abrenunciatis,
monachus effectus toto se conamine preceptoris sui doctri-
nis obsecundans deificis mancipavit obsequiis. Unde dici-
tur, "Terra retexit eos nunquam telluri reverses." Credi-
dit Iltutus tales ut viderat actus; qui fuerat miles multos
superando per urbes, vertit militiam summam capiendo
coronam, monacus effectus di versos profuit usus. Trans-
misit igitur vir Domini quosdam effebos, qui cibaria potus-
que memoratos reveherent, ac totidem egenos inde satiavit,
quot in spillonibus prius ingrate contradicta1 fuerant,
17. De Architecto a beato Cadoco resuscitate.
Alio quoque tempore, cum beatus Cadocus rursus inde
discessisset, cupiens alibi Deo devotum exhibere formula-
turn, ad quandam urbem secus magnum amnem, qui dicitur
Need, sitam divino nutu adveniens locumque circumspec-
tans, ibidem mox domum orationis sibi edificari jussit ;
operariis autem ejus duodecim numero ad silvam gratia con-
cindendorum lignorum ad opus edificandi oratorii profectis,
1 Contradita, MS.
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 47
res agenda, per universam regionem innotuit; unde contigit
quendam Hibernensem advenam, artificiosum quidem
architectum, egestate compulsum, cui nomen Liugtiri, cum
liberis suis eo advenisse, quatinus victum sibi natorum que
artis ipsius exertitionibus adgereret, quapropter a viro Dei
ovanter susceptus ; opus viriliter cum reliquis bissenis arti-
ficibus aggreditur, quosdam paululum post omnes artificio et
virtute excedebat, Invidentes siquidem ei alii duodecin*
ipsum nequiter interfecerunt, amputatoque capite, necnon
enormi saxo circa truncum corpus alligato, in alto quodain
stagno precipitaverunt. Ill is equidem domum pro more
redeuntibus, interfecti artificis filii patrem nequaqum solito
contuentes, miserabilibus vocibus fleverunt. Ut autem plane-
turn vir beatus excepit, causam tante miserande lamenta-
tionis ocius inquisivit.
Operariis vero super his acriter conventis, totis nisibus
se excusantes, quo prescriptus architectus devenisset se
nescire multa cavillatione asseruerunt. Ubi quippe vir Dei
nequitiam eorum cognovit, ipse, cum cunctis clericis pervigil
in orationibus pernoctabat, ut eadem nocte hujus rei veritas
eis declaretur. Mane autem facto deprecationibus jam ex-
plicitis, ecce repente decollatus artifex caput in sinu suo
gestans, magnumque lapidum super tergum ferens, madidus
que cruentus truci horridaque specie, venerabili viro, suis-
que discipulis apparuit Minim dictu, verum facile Deo
factu, precisum caput hujuscemodi ora resolvit, " Serve Dei,
fige me super collum pristino statu, referamque tibi cuncta
que de hac re hactenus tibi sunt incognita." Fecitque prout
petiit. Indicavit autem sibi necatus artifex Lyuguri per-
grande nefas duodecim prememoratorum operariorum, et
qualiter ilium invidia ducti flagitiose trucidaverunt. Cui
ille, " Elige quod ex duobus mavis, aut in hac letali vita
denuo funus futurus degere, aut in eternam vitam cum Deo
prehenniter regnaturus remeares." At ille dixit, "Domine,
ut anima mea regrediatur in eternam requiem." Aclhuc
autem eloquente, expiravit. Precepit itaque vir sanctus
discipulis suis, predicturn lapidem quem super dorsum occi-
48 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
sus arcliitectus attulerat, juxta nemus in memoriam hujus
iniraculi in terram erectum deponcre, eunclemque ibidem
ibidem penes ilium sepeliri, et ab ejus nomine totum illud
oppiduin Landlyugri vocari mandavit. Per hanc quoque
cautem Dominus eos qui urinam continere nequerunt, alior-
umque morborum di versa geriere, pro amore Sancti Cadoci
atque Lyuguri, usque in hodiernum diem curat.
18. De altercatione inter Sanctum Cadocum, et regem
Arthurum pro cujusdam reconciliatione.
In eodem igitur tempore, dux quidam Brittanorum fortis-
simus, vocabulo Ligessauc, films Eliman, cognomento quo-
que Lauhiir, id est longa manus, tres milites Arthurii regis
illustrissimi Brittannie trucidavit. Ceterum Arthurio qua-
quaversum eum persequente, nusquam tutum locum rep-
perit, nulloque ipsum tutari ob predigesti regis pavorem
ausus fuit; donee tandem creberrima fuga fatigatus ad
virum Dei profugus pervenit. Qui ipsius miseratus labores
benignius ilium suscepit, in Domino confidens, Arthurium
vero nil metuens, secundum illud dominicum preceptum,
" Nolite timere eos qui corpus occidunt, animam autem
non possunt occidere, sed potius eum timete qui potest ani
mam et corpus mittere in gehennam." Mansit itaque cum
eo in regione Guunliauc, Arthurio nesciente, septem annis
securus. Quibus evolutis rursus prelibato regi proditus,
idem demum placitandi causa, quod vi cum viro Dei nulla-
tenus auderet contendere, cum plurima militum copia ad
amnem Oscam pervenit. Directis ergo legatis ad regem,
vir Dei scissitatur ab eo si controversiam in sagacium judi-
cium arbitrio statueret. At ille adquievit, Sanctus namque
Cadocus de diversis ejusdem patrie partibus, tribus ad se
principalibus proceribus, David videlicet, et Teliauuo, et
Dochu, Reneder et Maidoc accersitis, cum pluribus aliis
clericis et senioribus totius Brittannie, judicibus, irisimul
coadunatis usque ad ripam pregrandis fluminis Osce ipso
precedente, pariter convenerunt. Ibi quoque more hosti-
um ex utraque fluvii parte causam amaris verbis agitantes,
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 49
diutius utrinque litigaverunt. Post hanc autem alterca-
tionis intercapidinem, eruditiores ex judicibus viri decreve-
runt Arthurium pro redemtione uniuscujusque virorum
necatorum tres boves optimas debere suscipere. Alii vero
centum vaccas illi in precium prescriptorum virorum tri-
bundas sanxerunt, a priscis enim temporibus apud Brittones
hnjusmodi judicium ac istud precium de regum ducumque
ministris constitutum erat. Hoc accepto, Arthurius in-
sultans, uni coloris vaccas renuit; verum discolores accipere
voluit, scilicet in anteriori parte rubei, in posteriori vero
candidi, coloris distinctas plurima tergiversatione gestivit.
Illi quippe quo hujuscemodi coloris pecora repperirentur,
penitus ignorantes quid consilii super his caperent, hesita-
bant ; quocirca vir Dei in trium personarum nomine impe-
ravit juvenibus de concilio quatinus novem, sive velut qui-
dam fatentur centum juvencas ad se minare, cujuscunque
coloris forent. Ut autem pernotata animalia pre oculis ipsius,
et aliorum Dei famulorum adducta fuerunt, divino magnatio,
ex prava Arthurii cupidine, in prelibatis coloribus pro ben-
iuolo justorum precatu ac desiderio, statim mutata fuere.
Intuente autem totius cleri comitatu pluribusque aliis
Dei fidelibus a beato viro illo congregatis hoc miraculo,
gavisi sunt gaudio magno, Deum valde glorificantes. Porro
vir Dei consuluit quatinus jure prememoratas boves agere
deberet. Et respondit ex altrinsecus judicum cuncis,
" Jus quidem est te ipsas ad vadi medium gregatim com-
pellere." Compulsit igitur illas eotenus occurrerentque eis
Arthurius, Kei et Bedwir ceteris in littore sedentibus ; at
Kei, et Bedwir gliscentes eas manibus ad litus alterum per
cornua trahere ; sed extemplo inter ipsorum mantis, cunctis
videntibus, divino nutu, in filicis fascibus transfigurate sunt.
Quod prodigium Arthurius aspectans, ut sibi dimittetur in-
juria quam illi irrogaverat beatum viram humiliter flagita-
vit. Largitus est autem illi veniam delicti, juxta illud
evangelicum, " Dimittite et dimittetur vobis."
Inito igitur prelibatus rex cum agmine suo consilio, re-
fugium ejus per sept em annos totidemque menses, eidem-
que numeri dies protelavit.
50 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
Si quis vero alienigena prefinito tempore de Sancti Ca-
doci pago repatriare gestiens ad aliquam mundi plagam
discesserit seu transfretaverit; Si forte valida vi procella-
rum ac sinistri flatus tempestate ingruente in illius portuin
videlicet Barren appulsus fuerit, adque ad pristinum refu-
gium sui locum denuo remeaverit, secundum seniorum tra-
ditionem usque ad ultimum vita3 suse terminum, servitio
ipsius deputandus, ac alacriter recipiendus est ; hoc Arthu-
rus universique duces ejusdem cum totius Brittannic seni-
oribus corroborantes dixerunt, " Nos quoque in omnium
auditu verba sanctionis hujus contestamur, et quicunque ea
prevaricatus fuerit, addat super ilium Deus omnes plagas in
veteri et nova lege scriptas, nomenque ejus de libro vite
deleatur. Qui vero hec custodierit, omnibus veteris et
nova tostamenti benedictionibus repleatur et super ilium
descendant et maneant, nee non ipsius anima in requie con-
sistat eterna." Peracto vero concilio, omnes vacce qui in
filicum manipulis fuerunt converse in suis bostaribus in-
columes apud earundem possessores sunt reperte. Ab illo
enim die locus Brittanico fatu, Trefredinauc, villa filicis
vocatur. Illud quoque vadum, circa quod placitum erat,
Rithguutebou nuncupatur. Recedentibus omnibus pacifice
de illo placito, Sanctus Cadocus tres villas tribus inditis
proceribus tribuit ; una David, alia Theleauuo, tertia vero
Docguinno, qui longinquo itinere fatigati fuerant. Quarum
villarum possessorumque earum nomina subscribuntur ;
beato quippe David Landdeui Pennbei ; Theleauuo, Mer-
thir Teemed ; Doguuinno, vero Landubrguir donavit.
19. De vindicta in rege Guinnedotiorum ob irjjuriam
viri Dei.
Aliud namque miraculum omnibus liquidum Brittonibus
in ipsis partibus degentibus de eodum almo patrono asseri-
tur. In diebus itaque illius, rex quidam nomine Mailgunus
in tota Brittannia regnabat, qui suos tirones ad regionem
Guunliauc, ut inde censum acciperent direxit. Qui ad beati
Cadoci pretoris domum venientes ejusdem formosissimam
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 51
filiam violenter rapientes, secum adduxerunt. Convenientes
siquidem Gunliuenses persecuti sunt eos, et assecutos quos-
dam prostraverunt plurimos vero vulneraverunt, reliqui vero
ad dominum suum fugerunt. Quo pacto premissus basileus
pleraque furoris bile succensus, et congregatis exercitibus,
castra metati sunt in regionem Guunliauc, super fontem,
qui lingua illorum Finnun Brittrou1 vocatur, quatinus
sequente die totam illam propriam predarentur. Quibus
auditis, Gunlienses non minimum veriti sunt, viroque Dei
in hec verba modum rei nunciaverunt, " Mailcunus rex
Guinedotorium2 in finibus nostris cum suis agminibus des-
cendit, atque hac nocte cum toto exercitu secus fontem
Brittrou essedit. Crastino enim universam terram tuam
devastabit omnesque masculos furiosa nece trucidabit ; suc-
curre ergo nobis inbecillibus miseris et imermibus pacem
cum attroci rege componendo, alioquin moriemur."
His3 acceptis, vir Dei dixit ad nuncium, "Materius precede
te etenim sequemur." Secutus est autem noctu cum tribus
clericis nuntium, donee Gundliaiuc venirent; occurreruntque
eis ejusdem regionis indigene hostili timore perterriti cum
nimio planctu, eum exoraverunt, dicentes, " Domine, adju-
va nos, et erue nos per tua4 magna4 dementia,4 quia quod-
cunque a Domino petieris, impetrabis." Respondit eis,
" Comfortamini in Domino, et estote robusti nee formidetis;
in Deo faciemus virtutem, et ipse ad nichilum deducet ini-
micos nostros."5 Secessit inde Sanctus Cadocus, in Deo mag-
nam fiduciam habens, juxta castra hostium seorsum oravit
suis clericis a se pusillum remotis. Mane autem facto ab
oratione surrexit, et ecce columpna nubis precedebat eum,
que tentoria cuncta quoque agmina prescripti regis operiens
obscuravit, et facta est dies veluti tetra nox apud illos, ita
ut nullus alterum contemplari valeret. Turn6 in medio
caliginis almus vir ante regis papilionem apparuit, salutans
eum et ait, "Salve rex. Queso si in oculis tuis gratiam in-
1 Fonnon Brotten, T.— Litera T denotat TITUS in MSS. Cott. Lib. Brit. Mus.
8 Snoudunenrium, T. » ffiis, T. 4 Sic, MS. 5 Vestros, T. 6 Tune, T.
52 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
veni verba mea benigne percipe." Cui rex, " Presto sum,
Loquere" inquit. At ille, "Utquid ad meam patriam ar-
mata manu predandi vestandique causa advenisti, prscser-
tim cum id nequaquam meruissem." Ad hec rex, "Fateor
me in te peccasse ; veruntamen obnixius sanctitatem tuam
rogo, quatinus super hoc commisso sis misericors, illudque
mihi dimittas, atque tua interventione tenebrositas ista dis-
cedat, quo nos illesi ad nostras queamus1 remeare sedes,
omnisque tua patria2 in pace sempiterna consistat." Vir
Dei respondit, " Remittentur tibi pregrandia facinora tua."
Adhuc eo loquente, en estiva lux extemplo desuper effusa
nimia serenitate in castris refulsit ; dum vero rex hoc mira-
culum perspexisset, de regali cathedra surgens, procidit in
faciem suam, dicens, " Affirmam et ratum faciam refugium,
quod tibi heroum fortissimus Arthurius impendidit, ut ex
mea sobole qui breviaverit, sit meledictus; et qui serva-
verit, sit benedictus ; teque hodie confessorem mihi, si tibi
beneplacitum fuerit, inter dextrales pre omnibus eligo."
Et ita factum est. Reversique sunt unusquisque pacifice
in regionem suam.
20. De obcecatione regis Runn pro illata Sancto Cadoco
injuria.
Inter fluxis igitur aliquantis annorum post ea curriculis,
Runn films prenotati basilei Mailguni, veniens ab aquilone
cum multitudine copiosa Guinedote gentis in expeditionem,
ut australium Brittonum possessiones, gazasque diriperet,
terramque penitus depopularet. Collecto quoque toto exer-
citu in conspectu Mailguni, idem firmiter predigesto Run
genito ejusdem, cunctisque falangibus totius expeditlonis
precepit, ne sancto Cadoco quod ipsius Confessor existeret
aliquam injuriam irrogarent, neque de omni terra sua
ullum unum vilissimum pecus absque ejus licentia tollent.
Et hoc," inquit, "erit vobis signum; cum ad illius patriam
solum veneritis, animalia liberius in pascuis pascentia, ho-
1 Pergamus, V.—V denotat VESPASIAN in MSS. Cott. Lib. Brit. Mus. a Patria, deest. T.
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 53
minesque fretos ac imperterritos, invenietis, in amititia
nostra confidentes, ideoque ab omni belli precinctu fore
funditus indempnes, quamquidem, ego et dominus eorum
familiari spiritualique federe connectimur." Tune quicun-
que hanc regis jussionem cum juramento se servaturos pol-
liciti sunt. Cum itaque perventum esset ad oras Guurunid,
castra metati sunt in Cair1 Trigued; quos cum viri Guuru-
nid vidissent, veriti ab eis fugerunt, abdentes se in silvis, et
sentibus, et antris, atque speluncis terre. Habitatores vero
Pennichen qui erant trans fluvium Nadauan, et cuncti re-
gionis ejusdem imperterriti prostituerunt ; cum autem
plurimas ad castra predas agerent Xllcim armigeri ex
gregariis regis adsequare2 caballos ad amnem Nadavam abi-
erunt. Ubi autem suos cornipedes potaverunt, ipsimet
sitientes tepidumque laticem bibere non valentes, ad invi-
cem inquiunt, "Equitemus proprium ad Cadoci horreum
quod in predio buceles tune temporis fuisse perhibetur, ut
lac potemus sufficienter, nam ibi lac habundat jugiter."
Illi nempe bissenis velotius eo suum iter tendentibus loci
procuratorem austerius verbis aggrediuntur, quo si lactis
potum largiretur. Qui indignatus renuit illis impertiri,
dicens, " Nunqnid excordes estis, estimantes quod dominus
noster minime sit vir magni honoris et dignitatis ; cum uti-
que magnam familiam numero trecentorum virorum, sci
licet C clericos, todidemque milites atque ejusdem numeri
operarios, exceptis parvulis, et mulieribus possideatur. "
Surrexerunt ergo nimio furore stomacantes singuli quoque
titiones in manibus arripientes, ascensisque sonipedibus
horreum illud incendere conati sunt ; verum Dei virtute ne-
quaquam cremantur, sed fumantur. In illius plane hore
momento dum prelocutus Rein in tabernaculo ludens in alca
cum suis eunuchis consedisset, fumus ad instar lignei postis,
de Sancti Cadoci horreo procedens, recto tramite permane
se ad ipsius papilionem tetendit, lumenque oculorum omni
um ibidem commanentium obcecavit. At rex quod accidit
1 Civitas, T. 2 Adigere, T.
II
54 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
indicare erubescens, eunuchos ludere cohortatur, " Ludite,"
inquit. At illi referunt, "Opertis oculis nicliil videmus."
Tune demum rex sibi similiter evenisse confessus. Convo-
catis denique ducibus ad se ac cunctis optimatibus et equi-
tibus, percunctatur eos si forte ex illorum consortibus quis-
piam beato viro aliquod dedecus intulisset.
Ipsi vero penitus crimen inficiabantur. " In castris" in-
quit rex " diligenter perscrutantes perquirite si qui vestrum
sodalium defuerint hodie." Cumque requisissent, comper-
tum est XII armigeros abfuisse ; quibus adductis, ait rex,
"Quo liodie abistis, sive quid mali egistis, quamtoties edici-
tote, in nobisienim manifestum quod magnum contagium
hodierno commiseritis," tune armigeri ejus rectum conficen-
tur. Nee mora Sanctum Cadocum ad se venire fecit, cui et
dixit, "Benedictus sis a Domino, ingressusque tuus sit paci-
ficus, peccavi et enim in Deum et coram te." At ille, "Quid
egisti, edicito." Ille autem in hujusmodi verba prerumpit,
"Quidam apparitorum meorum tuum penus seu horreum
adorsi sunt, me inscio, succendere, qua de re hoc obceca-
tionis infortunium nobis scio contigisse, quocirca benigni-
tatem tuam suppliciter imploro, quatinus michi misero in-
dulgeas, luminumque nostrorum cecitate depulsa, prisca
perspicuitas, vestra intercession, visibus nostris refundatur."
Orante siquidem Sancto Cadoco, priscam luminum aciem
receperunt, quibus explicitis, rex adauxit refugium ejus, ut-
pote pius Arthurius, et genitor premissi Rein constituerunt,
ratum illud faciens sententiam diverse qualitatis exerens.
" Si quis," inquit, " refugium tuum infregerit sit excommu-
nicatus, qui vero custodierit, a Deo et bominibus exstat
dilectus."
Hec dicens rex dedit ei suum egregium emissarium, cum
omni equino sternatu, tribusque principalibus armis, clipeo
videlicet mucrone et hasta nee non et universa que attule-
rat, preter ea que ad victus necessaria sibi reservabat ; his
expletis, singuli sunt ad propria reversi. Gladium vero
sibi a rege Rein collatum beatus Cadocus Wrgano Vario,
qui tune temporis in Wlatmorgan regnabat, presemi parte
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 55
piscium fluminis Osci, tribuit, ut septem ex illis quadra-
gesimale pulmentum apud Lancarvan habetur. Equum
equidem eidem regi, cum tola equestri falera, pro dimidia
parte piscium amnis Need largitus est, quatinus singulis
Quadragesimis apud Landmais inde elixatam seu assatam
cibarii et obsonii habet. Possidebat et enim duos equos
ligneos, ita inestimabiliter veloces, ut nullum animal illis
in cursu equipari valebat ; super equos minister ejus que-
que necessaria undique deferebat. Diurnum quippe iter
equorum ligneorum erat a Landcarvan usque Need et
Bycheiniauc eundo et redeundo.
21. De ereptione regis Rein de manibus Gunliuitarum.
Tertiam nempe virtutum fecit Deus per Sanctum Ca-
docum in testimonium graphii refugii generis sui Gundliauc.
Rein filius Brachani, avunculus ejusdem, a finibus suis
egressus, vastavit atque depopulatus est provmciam Gun
dliauc usque ad mare. Insurrexerunt quippe \7iri Gun-
dliuiti in obviam exercitus illius, et fugaverunt eum, atque
percusserunt viros ejus in loco, qui dicitur Pull Rein, et in
Pullrud, et in Pull-lithion, atque Pull-guedillion que loca
ab eis vocabula acceperunt. Obsessus est etiam prelocutus
Rein a Gundliuitis, eo qnod nullatenus ausi fuerunt necare
avunculum domini sui sine jussu illius. Venit itaque
beatus Cadocus, et ab obsidione prefatum Rein emit, qui et
ab illo delictorum confessionem suspicions, confirmavit refu-
gium quod pius Mailgunus et Arthurius ei rato federe contu-
lerant. De cetero, Rein hujuscemodi ora resolvit, "Quoniam
liberasti me hodie," inquit, " omnis qui ex gente mea ortus
fuerit, si minus servaverit gentem Gunliuensem, et pactum
quod cum Sancto Cadoco pepigi prevaricatus fuerit, maledic-
tus sit." Oravit igitur Sanctus Cadocus ad Dominum ut daret
ei regem, qui pro eo suam gentem regeret, et datus est ei
Mouric filius Enhinti; deditque illi amicam1 suam nomine
Debunn, cum tota regione. Sanctus ergo Cadocus exivit
} T.
56 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
obviam ei, excepto Gundliauc, et benedixit eis, mandavit-
que ergo conservarent refugium suum, pro pacto quod
antea cum Mailguno et Artlmrio pepigerat; quam conven-
tioncm Mouric concessit coram his testibus. De clericis,
David, Chenedir, Eliud (Teliauus,) Iltut, Maidac, Cannou,
et aliis pluribus. Beatus vero Cadocus prsecepit Mourico,
dicens, "Patrocinare meam patriam atque hereditatem
Gundliauc, sitque libera ab omni fiscali censu, excepto
quod pergant tecum in exercitu ad prelium tribus diebus
et tribus1 noctibus, et si amplius tecum ierint, cibabis eos."
Et respondit Mouricus,2 " In eternum ita fiat." Vir autem
Dei adjunxit, " Benedictus sit qui hie pacti tenorem cus-
todierit; qui autem haut servaverit, maledictus sit a Deo,
et omnibus sanctis ejus;" et responderunt omnes clerici,
"Amen."
22. De profectione Sancti Cadoci in Albaniam, et mira-
culis ibidem per eum effectis.
Rursus aliud miraculum memoratu dignum divina dig-
natio patenter ad laudem sui nominis, et ejus fidelis clientis
Cadoci gloriam, patrare dignata est. Quodam autem die,
discipulis ipsius in unum convenientibus hujusmodi eos
affatur, "Quamquidem divino nutu, ter Jerusalem, septies
Homam pro Dei amore profectus sum, superest nunc qua-
tinus orandi gratia progrediar ad basilicam Sancti Andree
apostoli, qui apud Albaniam, que vulgo Scotiam vocatur,
constructa dinoscitur: quamobrem subrogo vobis loco mei
prelatum atque rectorem Elli, meum alumpnum, quern ab
ipsis cunabilibus deificis jugiter attentum obsequiis scimus,
evangelicisque non minimum callere doctrinis, cujus erudi-
tionibus in quibuslibet et pro viribus parcere impigri exis-
tatis." At illi dixerunt, "Omne quod vobis placuerit
libentius annuimus." Surgens igitur vir Dei, cum tribus
discipulis suis, in Albaniam perrexit, prelibateque basilice
beati Andree limina adivit ; dumque rediens ad quandam
1 Tribus deest, V. 2 Jfowr&w, T.
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 57
urbem que citra montem Bannauc, qui in medio Albanie
situs perhibetur, advenisset, in ipsa nocta dum pausa ces-
sisset, arigelus Domini eidem in sompnis apparuit, dicens,
" Dominus Deus tuus per me tibi precepit ne hinc discedas,
ceteram potius hie VII annorum spacio gratia convertendi
populum istius loci ad dominicam fidem persistas." Ille
quidem vir Dei prefinito tempore moratus est, indies prse-
dicans, populumque gentilem docens, cunctosque languidos
curans.
Quadam vero die, cum Cadocus terram circa construen-
dum monasterium foderat, quoddam os collare cujusdam
prisci herois monstruosum, ac incredibilis quantitatis, in-
orme, et invenit, per quod, mirum dictu, pugil insidens
equo sine impedimento equitare valerat.1 Quo reperto,
Sanctus Cadocus admirans ait, "Haut2 ad escam neque
potum vadam, sed erit mihimet oratio pro cibo, lacrimeque
pro poculo, donee hoc prodigiosum, quid fuerit, a Deo
nobis propatetur." Eadem quippe nocte, vox de celo an
gelica allocutione ilium convenit, dicens, "Ecce clamor
orationis tue in auribus Domini extat acceptabilis, quod
enim a Deo suppliciter poposcisti, conferet tibi Deus ; verum
etiam3 clericos tuos ceterumque populum verbis corrobora,
ne trepidaverint siquid illis supervenerit. Cras etenim
veteranus gigas in prima diei hora suscitabitur, qui vir
fossor quo adjuxerit erit." His acceptis, matutinus exur-
gens angelicum oraculum plebi declaravit. Adhuc autem
eo ad populum sermocinante, en illico immanis stature redi-
vivus gigas horribilis et immensus, humanam penitus quan-
titatem magnitudine excedens, eis apparuit.
. Quo viso, quique oppido perterriti dixerunt, " Ecce fan-
tasma transfiguratum in hominis forma ad seducendos nos
venit." At monstruosus heros illico pedibus viri Dei per-
volvitur, inquiens, " Sancte Cadoce, serve Dei egregie,
benedictus sis a Deo et hominibus; nam tuam ingentem
enixius efflagito benignitatem, quatinus miseram animani
1 Sic MSS. 2a%tt<?, T. 3 Enimvero, V.
58 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
meam, in diris Cociti caribdibus hactenus apprime suppli-
ciis afFectam, eo denuo remeare nequaquam permittas."
" Sanctus quisnam es," ait Cadocus, " aut de qua cogna-
tione progenitus, modum quoque exitus tui de hac vita
diligenter enuclea." Gigas respondit, "Ultra montem
Bannauc quondam quamplurimis annis regnavi ; contigit a
diabolico instinctu me, cum meorum predonum cunctis, ad
has oras advenisse, causa diripiendi easdem atque vastandi ;
Rex vero qui tune temporis huic regioni dominabatur, cum
ipsius phalange, nos persequens, me meumque exercitum,
commisso pariter prelio, trucidavit ; ab illo siquidem die
nostre peremptionis in edacibus1 Gehenne flammis hucus-
que torquebamur; ceterum meum supplicium universa
aliorum tormenta penarum immanitate superabat, quoniam
illis omnibus magnum in Deum deliqui, quemadmodum
Scriptura ait, ' Potentes potenter tormenta patientur.' '
Vir autem Domini, quo nomine vocaretur, sciscitatur. At
ille respondit, " Cau cognomine Pritdin, seu Caur, dudum
vocitabar." Cui vir Dei, " Letare," inquit, " et alacer sis
animo, nam mihi a Deo concessum est te diutius in hoc se-
culo victurum, et pro presentis vite cursum,4 si Deo fidele
devotumque obsequium exhibueris, ac meis doctrinis humi-
liter obtemperaveris, dignamque satisfactionem de peccatis
tuis egeris, tandem ex hoc funesto corporis ergastulo anima
tua ad perhennem gloriam migrabit, ibique feliciter cum
Deo regnabit." Ad hec gigas sic2 ora resolvit, " Omnia
que preceperis levia mihi videntur, eademque effectui man-
cipabo libenter." Ab eodem itaque die usque ad ipsius
obitum illic beati viri fossor que3 ei precipiebatur effodiendo
effectus est. Ut autem hoc miraculum per Albanian! ce-
lebrius procrebuit, Albanorum reguli viginti quatuor villas
prebuerunt ei.
23. De nola, quam Sanctus Gildas viro Dei distrahere
renuit.
1 Edacibus deest, T. »Sic deest, T. 3 Pro ^md, forte. 4 Sic MS.
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 59
Peracto denique prefinito tempore divinitus septenni
termino, beatus Cadocus illinc ad proprium solum, scilicet
Lanncarvan, rediit, et illuc habitavit, Sed non est preter-
eundum quod quidam Brittannus egregius scolasticus, et
scriptor optimus, nomine Gildas, films Cau, callidus artifex,
ab Hibernensium finibus, illuc adveniens, cum pulcherrima
quadam varia campanula, unius noctis hospitium apud Lann
carvan ab illo suscepit; qui eandem nolam vehementer
intuitus, illam pulsavit. Cumque decor et sonus colorque
eidem placuissent, prselibatum Gildam imploravit quod
cimbalum sibi comparare concederet. Renuit ille dicens,
" Non vendam, imo super altare Sancti Petri Rome illud
offeram." Beatus vero Cadocus inceptis precibus instans,
" Implebo illud tibimet," inquit, " denariis." Respuit etiam
Gildas secundo oblatum pretium ; et ille addidit, " Prestabo
quoque tibi quantum potest capere auri examinati; infi-
ciatus est quippe nullo pacto se campanulam distracturum,
asserens illam Deo et Sancto Petro voto vovit ; votumque
Deo favente redditurum, quoniam sic Salomon ait, "Stulta
et infidelis promissio displicet Deo."1
Deinceps peregrinatus est itidem Gildas Romam cum
eadem campanula, ostenditque earn Romano Pape, Alex-
andro, dicens, " Hanc campanulam a me fabricatam, et ab
Hibernia hucusque delatam, Deo et Sancto Petro in ejus-
dem altari offeram." Assumsit autem earn idem summus
apostolice sedis Pontifex, sollicitius earn conspiciens, quo
sonum auribus perciperet pulsare conatur, at ilia nullum
sonum protulit ; tune Papa, nimis admirans, clericum in-
terrogavit, "Quare tua campanula cum linguam, seu tun-
dulum ferreum habeat, nichil sonatur ; ut quid etiam in
naturam plumbi versa est, cum sit ferrea ? Indica," inquit,
" quo novissime sonuit."
At ille respondit, " Domine mi, quidam sanctus vir,
Cadocus nomine, degens in Brittannia, me in hoc peregri-
nationis itinere hospicio suscepit, qui presentem nolam
1 Dominwn. T.
60 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
ultime pulsans, dulcifero tono clangere fecit." Cui Papa
adjunxit, "Vir, de quo loqueris, mihi olim cognitus fuit,
nam hue septies, Jerusalem vero ter, pro animarum pa-
rentum et contubernalium suorum remissione peregre pro-
fectus est." Accepit rursum Papa no! am, et benedixit ei,
et dixit, " Hanc campanulam a me benedictam et conse-
cratam beato Cadoco reporta, quatinus in liac ore princi-
pale jusj urandum fiat, atque refugium totius Brittannie firmum
existat; duabus etenim de causis lianc campanulam quo-
que Brittones verebuntur, quo1 a me sit benedicta, sive
quod a Sancto Cadoco erit possessa. Ego namque gentis
illius incredulitatem, rebellemque cervicositatem2 audivi,
ideoque hanc illam mittam quo per earn fedus et pacem
concorditer faciant ; si quis etiam se super ipsam perjura-
verit, nisi dignam penitentiam egerit, procul dubio hie et
futuro anathema erit."
Istis prefecto ab apostolico prolatis, beatus Gildas sepius
memoratum signum recipiens, itaque retrogradum arripiens,
illud beato Cadoco apud Lanncarvan consistent retulit, eique
cuncta que sibi de illo signo ab apostolico injuncta fuerant
indicavit. Idcirco itidem avidius quam ante sanctam cam
panulam admisit, eandemque statim propriis manibus me-
loclis pulsavit sonis ; que confestim ex se dulcem sonando
melodiam edidit, quod prius coram Papam recusavit. As-
serunt etiam annosi Brittonum periti Dominum pro Sancti
Cadoci amore per hanc noctem duos resuscitasse ad vitam
mortuos, testiumque adhuc quandoque resuscitatum tes-
tantur, bis etiam humano famine locutam, tercioque locu-
tam pronuntiant.
24. De Obitu Gundlei patris Sancti Cadoci.
Igitur accidit ut Sanctus Gundleius beati Cadoci genitor
letaliter egrotaretur, misitque quendam servum suum, vo-
cabulo Istan, pro filio suo Cadoco, quatinus quamcicius ad
se Yisitandum venisset : qui maturius incedens, ad amnem
1 Pro quet forte. 2 Pro pervicaciam, forte.
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 61
Taam usque pervenit, qui tune temporis tante profunditatis
atque latitudinis extitit quod nemo ilium eques seu pedes
tranvadare potuit, nisi prore1 sive puppis remigio subvehe-
retur. Nam latitude fluminis ejusdem ea tempestate a
vado Ponug'ual donee ad collem2 Morcanti regis protende-
batur, qui gentis illius lingua Riu Morgant nuncupatur.
Prefatus ergo legatus ad transmeandum fluvium imllam
scapham repperiens, ad quendam celibem her emi tarn, Ty
lyuguay3 nomine,4 qui trans flumen degebat, voce magna
clamavit, medullitus implorans quatinus ad beatum Cado-
cum celerius pergens, causam ipsius infirmitatis ei nun-
ciaret ; cujus precibus a prescripto heremita effectui man-
cipatis ; beatus Cadocus cum viginta quatuor discipulis ad
designati Tylyuguay domum veniens, illuc eadem nocte
cum omnibus hospitatus est. Ivit vero Tylyuguay ex more
ad fluvium, gratia piscandi, solebat enim plus, Dei nutu,
singulis nrctibus singulos capere pisces ; in ilia plane
nocte ad beati Cadoci sodaliumque ejus cenam viginta qua
tuor suo reti involuit. Porro beato viro sitiente, potum
sibi petiit impertiri. Ad quern Tylyuguay respondit,
"Nullum, domine, liquorem potui istic habemus aptum, et
insuper latex procul abest." Cui vir Domini baculum
suum porrexit, dicens, " Baculum meum fer tecum, et ubi-
cunque tibi libuerit, illius cuspide terram infige, statimque
Dominus nostrum ad opus fontem vive limphe manare
faciet." Et ita factus est.
Ilia siquidem nocte, viro Dei animo artius plura vol-
vente, quomodo diliculo flumen transvadaret, Angelus Do
mini apparuit ei dicens, " Fortis animo esto, neque de hujus
rei ambiguitate turbidus aut anxius exista, quia Deus auxi-
liator est tibi validus; eras etenim cum ad hujus magni
fluminis marginem proveneris, virgam in manu accipiens,
ter in nomine Sancti Trinitatis amnem, in similitudinem
Moisy ductoris Israelitici populi percutiens, dividetque
Dominus Deus vobis hunc fluvium, vosque citra eundem
1 Propria, V. 2 Prodivum, T. 3 Tcliowaw, T. 4 In margine, discipulum Sancti Cadoci.
I
62 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
siccis pedibus transire faciet." Lucescente plane diliculo,
beatus Cadocus cum suis universis sociis surrexit, ratam in
Domino fiduciam habens, atque cum eis ad supradicti flu-
minis litus pergens, inibi angelica jussa complevit. Per-
cussus igitur amnis Taam,1 statim dividitur superior! qui-
dem parte ad montem, inferiori vero solotenus dilabente
fluminis, ad instar Jordanis in baptismatis Christi ministerio ;
de quo dicitur, "Quid est tibi mare quod fugisti, et tu
Jordanis quare conversus es retrorsum ?" Transmeantibus
autem beato Cadoco ejusdem comitatu per fluminis alveum,
siccis pedibus, supra memoratus Tylyuguay clamavit post
eos dicens, " Kare Dei famule, hunc amnem in hujuscemodi
statu, imo eum in pristino cursu, quatinus ex eo piscari
possit, antequam hinc discedas, resolve ; ceterum si fieri
potest, perpetuo profunditate una cum latitudine illius mi-
nuetur, quo per eum pedites transire queant."
Oravitque vir Dei una cum clericis ipsius, uti prescrip-
tum flumen brevior, ex petitione precantis Tylyuguay, in
eternum permaneret. Orantibus autem illis, ecce ingens
flumen, veluti torrens immensus ex abruptis scopulis pre-
ceps abrumpens, in modum spumosi pelagi, subito inun-
dantis ad oceanum, precipitanter, usque per solitum defluit
alveum ; ast ipsius latitude et profunditas in hodiernum
diem minor extitit ; cautem quoque immanem tanquam a
tartarea voragine avulsam, super terram prenominati here-
mitaB devexit, illoque dereliquit. Hoc cum iticlem heremi-
cola conspicatus fuisset, beato viro indicavit, quamobrem
jussit quatinus ille lapidum cumulus a premissi celicole
nomine, Carn id est Rupes Tylyuguay vocaretur.
Inde recedens vir venerandus ad suum morbidum geni-
torem pervenit ; qui non minimum in suo adventu exultans,
ait ei, " Ego te ad me accercivi quatinus in extreme vite
meam confessionem audias." Tune beatus Cadocus sibi
viaticum eucharistie dedit, suamque confessionem suscepit.
Ille vero resumpto spiritu, filio suo benedicens ait, " Bene-
1 Taajph, T.
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 63
dictus sis," inquit, " quod pro te misertus est mei Dominus,
suamque misericordiam mihi contribuit adipisci; itaque
nunc totam regionem meam, pro qua plures injurias non-
nullaque dampna diutius sustinuisti, tibi modo veluti prius
coram cunctis astantibus, et meum testamentum liic audien-
tibus commendo ; quinimo privilegium tibimet istud con-
cedo quatinus a fonte, quo brittannice, Fennuan Hen voca-
tur, id est a veteri fonti, donee ad ingressum fluminis
Naduan pervenitur, omnes reges et comites, optimates
quoque tribunos atque domesticos in cenobii tui cimiterio de
Lanncarvan sepeliantur. In hoc quippe loco, nullus exceptis
exulibus, et mulieribus in partu defunctis sepeliatur; qui
autem mandatum hujus privilegii custodierit conservet
ilium Deus hie, et in futuro, qui vero non servaverit, de-
struet ilium Deus in hoc seculo et in futuro ; et respondet
omnis populus, Amen. Defuncto autem Gundleio, beati
Cadoci genitore, in suo proprio monasterio, quod ab ipsius
nomine Brittannica lingua Igglis Guunliu vocatur, sepultus
est. Cadocus nempe patris ejusdem exequiis rite honori-
fice celebratis, ad propria cum suis clericis repedavit.
25. De submersione sanctorum Barruci et Walees ; Et
enchiridione in ventre isicii reperto.
Alio tempore contigit ut Beatus Cadocus, quodam die,
cum binis discipulis suis, Barruco videlicet et Gualches,
ab insula Echni, qui modo Holma vocatur, ad aliam insulam
nomine Barran, navigaret ; ubi vero prospere portum appre-
hendisset, suum enchiridion, id est manualem librum, apud
notatis discipulis petiit ; at illi se oblivioni apud prediges-
tam insulam ilium ledisse confess! sunt. Quod ille audiens,
compulit eos illico ratem ascendere, necnon retrorsum ad
revehendum codicem remigrare, hujuscemodi invectionem
in eos cum furore inurens, inquit, " Ite nunquam rediturus."
Turn discipuli nullam moram facientes, ex preceptoris
eorum jussu, cimbam materius conscenderunt, super die-
tamque insulam remigrando petierunt. Prenotato quo
recepto volumine, mox equoreo tramite ad medium usque
64 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
pelagi repedantes, viro Dei in mentis apice apud Barren
sedente, et illos eminus in ponti medio conspicante, ex in-
sperato versa carina, submersi sunt. Corpus vero Barruci
a tedide projectum in littore Barrensi repertum est, atque
in eadem insula sepultum,1 que ab ejus nomine usque in
hodiernum diem nuncupatur. Corpus vero alterius, scilicet
Gualees, ad insulam Echni a mari delatum est, ibidem que
humatum.
Circa horam quippe nonam, famulus dei Cadocus corpus
depastum jejuniis cibo refocillari gestiens, suos clientes
jussit quo sibi pisces ad prandium perquererent, quibus ad
amphitritem gratia piscandi euntibus, isicium mire magni-
tudinis in arena compertum, illumque suo preceptori gau-
dentes representant, quern cum exenterassent, prelibatum
codicem in ipsius visceribus ab omni aquarum lesione in-
dempnem et candidum invenerunt; quern vir Domini gratias
Deo agens alacriter suscipiens, quod nichil impossibile Deo
fuisset liquido cunctis declaravit.
26. De Lupis in lapidibus tranformatis.
Aliud non minus mirandum miraculum perfidelis clientis
sui Cadoci meritis divina miseratio patrare dignatur. Cum
illius oves apud prememoratam insulam Echni pascerentur,
ecce duo lupi de Anglia ad eundem locum natando per-
veniunt ; pluribus tandem illuc bidentibus ab eis dilacera-
tis, nonnullis etiam rapacibus morsibus necatis, versus Brit-
tanniam fretum transnatare conati sunt ; qui cum ad illius
medium venissent, divino juditio in lapides transformati
sunt, qui Brittannico sermone, Cunbleid vocantur, id est
lupina saxa, irritassent ovesque ejus laniassent.
27. Quomodo Sanctus Cadocus in Cornubia fontem sa-
lubrem precibus de terra produxit.
Necdum Dei bonitatem mirabilibus mirabiliora adicere
piget ; verum ejus clarum vernulam signis clariorem mira-
1 Sepultum deest, V.
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 65
culisque celeberrimum humane debilitati remedium atque
solatium prebendo libet efficere. Nam dudum cum idem
vir illustrissimus de monte Sancti Michaelis venisset, qui
in regione Cornubiensium esse dinoscitur, atque illius pro-
vincie idiomate, Dinsol appellatur, et ibi idem archangelus
ab omnibus illo adventantibus veneratur estuans ex itinere
fatigatus, valde sitivit. Locus autem quo hoc accidit ve-
hementer aridus extitit; beatus ergo Cadocus humum ba-
culo pepugit, ac continue illic fons largifluus de solo sca-
turiit; indeque tarn1 ipsi qui sibi comitantes affati quoque
potaverunt, in similitudine Israelitici populi sitientes in
deserto, cum Moises virga petram percussit, et fluxerunt
aque in habundantiam. Ut autem omnes limpha satiati
sunt, dixit ad socios suos, " Oremus, fratres, divinam obnix-
ius benignitatem, quatinus cuncti, qui ad hunc sacrum
fontem languidi venerint, ex eo diversorum morborum me-
delam, Dei gratia annuente, recipiant; et sic nostram fla-
grantem sitim, ita corporum venenosas pestes extinguat.
Si quis namque egrotus, ab ipso fonte firmiter in Domino
confidens bibit, ventris ac viscerum sanitatem reciperet,
cunctosque virosos vcrmes ex se perficiet." Postquam
autem Cornubienses crebra sanitatum remedia utriusque
sexus apud eundem fontem indeficienter fieri divina pietate
conspexerunt, in honorem Sancti Cadoci ecclesiolam juxta
fontem edificaverunt.
28. De Fure qui bovem furatus est.
Igitur contigit quod, quadam die, edilis Sancti Cadoci,
quam illo in tempore sepeliarium vocabant de Lanncarvan,
imperio abbatis et clericorum necessitate coactus, ad curiam
cujusdam reguli, nomine Riderch, ferens secum evangelium
Gilde perexit. Erat quidem eodem die in ilia curia, actio
super quodam rustico, qui furto quendam bovem rapuerat,
objectum sibi facinus toto nisu negante. Tune sepeliarius
ad ilium accessit, et suum cultellum non magnitudine par-
1 Tamen, T.
66 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
vum subito pro joco nudavit, illumque marm quatiente
vibrans dixit, " O stolide, hie est cultellus Sancti Cadoci, si
illo perjuraveris, confestim morte peribis, quia tua viscera
penetrabit." Tune rusticus valde perterritus pedibus illius
clerici pronus advolvitur, reatum confitendo dicens, "Pro
amore Dei, et Sancti Cadoci, indulge mihi, nam scelus furti
in bove perpetravi, quinimo quoque perjurium feci." Quo
cognito, rex cum astantibus, evangelio Gilde obtulit, nee
non clerico donativo ditavit, atque furem in servitio cenobii
Sancti Cadoci perpetuo mancipavit.
29. De Evangelic Gilde.
Cum beatus Gildas in insula Echni Deo ministeriis man
cipavit degeret, missalem librum scripsit, illumque Sancto
Cadoco obtulit, quum illius confessor extitit, ideoque codex
ille evangelium Gilde vocatur. Hec est traditio illius vo-
luminis. Si quis ex progenie Cynaytlmy ipso evangelio
perjuraverit, vita ejus brevietur. Et si quis ex clericis
Carbani vallis, id est Lanncarvan exiens, necessitate duc-
tus, evangelium Gilde gerens ad quempiam ex sobole Cyn-
aythuy pervenerit, si forte repperit eum suam vestem indu-
entem, nequicquam sine clerici licentia totam induet, sed
continue illius parendo preceptis semipannus indutus, nu-
disque pedibus, secum ad Carbani vallem vadat. Ista
quoque est campane varie traditio. Si quis ex prole1 Lyu-
tbyli super campanam variam mendax jusjurandum fecerit,
vita ipsius minuetur, nee hereditate locupletabitur, ast
citius morietur. Si quispiam clericorum Carbani vallis,
quolibet negotio compulsus, campanam variam gestans ad
quempiam ex Lyutliyly progenie2 perexerit, si fortuitu
ilium vestientem tunicam sive byrrum invenerit, absque
clerici permissione haut ex toto se induat, sed seminudus
secum ad Carbani vallem festinus eat.
30. De Commixtione Jordanice aque in Cornubiensi fonte,
post temporis intercapidinem velle mancipavit effectui.
V. 2 stigmate, V.
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 67
Cupiens almus Cadocus peregrinari, limina Sancti Petri
visitavit, deinde Jerosolimam, deinceps Jordanice fluenta;
ex quibus explevit utrem, deferens secum ad Brittanniam ;
allatam sacram aquam posuit in fontem predictum, quern
in Cornubiensi provincia precibus de solo produxit. Unum
per hanc positionem atque mixtam sancior extitit ; non-
nullos quippe prius sospitati reddidit, ceterum postea am-
plius centupliciter curavit.
31. De Conversatione Sancti Cadoci apud flumen Ned.
Post intervallum temporis audiens Sanctus Cadocus circa
flumen Ned multa loca solitaria, et heremitis convenientia,
visitavit ut perspiceret, et in eis aliquantulum temporis ma-
neret, atque post recessionem suos clericos ibi relinqueret.
Quodam die cum circuiret super ripam Ned, vidit aprum
sub arbore jacentem ; visum interfecerunt socii ; secundo,
respexit apes venientes, et intrantes in cavam arborem ;
tertio, accipitris nidum in arboris culmine. Deinde hec
talia dona misit regi Arthmailo, qui beato Cadoco dedit
licentiam habitandi et possidendi terram illam. "Inde,"
inquit Cadocus, " Hie aper, atque favus hie aceipiter fu-
riosus: fertilis iste locus quern diligit ergo Cadocus; leti-
ficant inter tanta signa beata petentem ; efficinnt hilarem
laudans laudabo datorem, cur non gauderem, dedit atque
daturus honorem ; liic habitare volo, quia significantia
cerno. Noluit ulterius nostros extendere gressus ; desig-
nant potius ^ompellunt, hie maneamus; pascet aperna
caro aptam venatibus petendo ; mellea dulcedo statuit con-
vivia clero ; mensa volatibus quesitis hoste venusto. Nos-
tra salubris extitit non morbida tune sine morbo."
33. De religionis Edificio, quod vir Dei in Armorica
construxit.
In illo tempore, cum venerande memorie Cadocus Ro-
mam adisset, et omnia sanctorum loca per Italiam atque
Galliam^constituta pergisset, gratia visendi reliquias sancto
rum, contigit ilium advenisse ad quanclam provinciam, que
G8 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
quondam Armorica, deinde Lettau, nunc vero Britannia
Minor, vocatur. Accepit autem quod illic erat]quedam in-
sula, nemine inhabitante, in pelago sita, distans a littore
per spatium tertie partis unius leuge. Ascendens ipse
cimbam cum discipulis suis, portuique tempestive illius soli
applicuit. Aspiciens quidem illam decoram, atque feralem,
ait suis sequacibus, "Eja! fratres istum, nutu Dei, locum
eligo, hucque, si vobis beneplacitum fuerit, morari gestio."
At illi respondentes inquiunt, " Domine, quod bonum tibi
videtur, libentius agemus." Construxit quidem illo basili-
cam lapidibus elegantem. Postea vero pontem lapideum
artificiose forniceo opere compositum, arcus cemento con-
glutinatos habentem a cementariis, fabricari fecit. His
peractis, quadam nocte dum sopori indulgeret, angelica
voce sic loquentem audivit, " Cadoce, servorum Dei fidelis-
sime, non licet tibi diutius istuc habitare, verum oportet te
velotius repatriare, quoniam clerici tui pro diuturna absen
tia tua non minimum contristantur."
Porro matutinis laudibus, ex more, Deo persolutis, cunc-
tos ad se monachos arcersivit, eisque suam visionem deno-
tavit, dicens, "Agite jam socii et fratres mei," inquit, " in
Domino karissimi, nam hie diutius manere non valeo,
ceterum modo vobis firmiter precipio quatinus constantes
perseveritis in Dei servitio." His auditis, amarius flere
quoque ceperunt; subrogavit deinceps illis priorem, vice
sui, ex discipulis suis, nomine Catgualader. Ut autem dis
cipulis suis benedixisset, licentiamque ab eis abeundi rece-
pisset, retrogradum iter cepit carpere, transmigratis im-
mensis terrarum superficiebus prospere, meruit ad propriam
basilicam de Lanncarvan denique pervenire.
Non post multum vero temporis, exierunt monachi su-
perdicte insule, causa prospiciendi pontum magistri sui,
absentatione pertesi, ilium spiritus desiderio oculorumque
que prospectu via qua migraverat persequentes, cum illico
in ictu oculi eis prospicientibus pons subruet ita rudere ad
nichilum redactus, ceu nunquam factus fuisse. Quo viso,
cum maximo luctu ad ecclesiam regredientes, in terra
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 69
proni corruerunt, tribusque diebus ac noctibus jejunaverunt,
Dominum super tanto infortunio solatia flagitantes ; tertia
vero nocte, vox de celo Priori ipsius loci in somnis dimitti-
tur, dicens, "Exaudivit Deus deprecationem vestram pro
Sancti Cacloci amore, eras enim videbitis pontem integmm,
illesumque consistere." Matutinis plane laudibus decan-
tatis, Prior revelationem a Deo sibi patefactam clericis in-
dicavit. Tune quamtocius pro nimia leticia monachi ad
intuendum pollicitum cucurrerunt, inveneruntque pontem
intemeratum, septiesque robustiorem quam prius extiterat.
Cumque diligenter pontem hue illucque conspexissent, re-
gressi sunt alacres ad oratorium eorundem, laudantes, et
benedicentes Dominum. Hoc per totam illam patriam
percrebescente miraculo, omnes illius provincie cultores
Deo et Sancto Cadoco honorem, et laudem exhibuerunt.
Nam beatus Cadocus apud eandem gentem Catbodu vo-
catur; ex cujus nomine ilia insula nomen accepit, id est
Inis Cathodu ; in qua plurima fructuum genera habentur
que diversorum morborum medelam conferre dicuntur.
33. De Rustlco, qui busta auditorum Sancti Cadoci
illicite conspicatus est.
Jamdudum isdem venerande memorie patronus in Al
bania, citra montem Bannaac, venustum lapideo opere
monasterium composuit ; fratribus eodem congregatis, Deo
devotum in perpetuum famulatum ab eis exhibere consti-
tuit. In cujus cenobii porticu quodam corpora trium dis-
cipulorum ejus marmoreis bustis condita jacent. Sed nul-
lus audet eorundem sarcophagos inspicere, nee celebs, aut
virgo, seu ordinatus. Fuit plane quoddam foramen foras
in pariete portici, per quod reges atque potentes illius re-
gionis, si forte inagna dissentionis lis inter illos orta fuerit,
manus imponerent, sacramentaque jusjurandi faciunt; si
quis vero juramentum illud fregerit, ante illius anni termi-
num leto peribit. Convenit autem more solito multitudo
plebis in die festivitatis Sancti Cadoci, ad audiendam
missam; finita nempe misse celebratione, quidam insipiens
70 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
rusticus clamore magno perstrepens, in medio populorum
presbiteris dixit, "Vultis dimittere me ad foramen ut as-
piciam per illud?" Respondentes ei dixerunt, "Vade, et
faciat Sanctus Cadocus quatinus signum ultionis appareat in
te." Cucurrit ergo temerarius ad foramen, impositaque
manu unum oculum texit, alio namque patulo per fenestram
interspexit, dictoque citius, oculus apertus crepuit, et per
nervum opticum facie tenus depependit. Mox ergo rusti
cus ingentem et lugubrem ejulatmn emittens, ad populi
turbas rapido cursu se proripuit. Quo viso, excelsis voci-
bus omne vulgus laudes Deo Sanctoque Cadoco persolvit,
dicens, " A soils ortu et occasu laudabile nomen Domini/'
Giravit equidem itidem rusticus de loco ad locum, per
totam provinciam Lintheami ne erutum oculum tegens;
plures mercedem ei largiebantur, ut eis divulsum ocelli
orbiculum ostendenderet. Exin magis ac magis compatri-
ote discebant Deum metuere, et cum sancto suo reverenter
glorificare. Ceterum quum nimis laboriosum est universa
mircula atque prodigia hujus almi patroni stilo digerere,
hec pauca de pluribus devote legentibus sufficiant ; cunctos
enim mirandos actus, nemo compos est enucleare nisi ipse
Cadocus resurgeret a morte ; nam quemadmodum a Brit-
tannia ad Beneventanam civitatem in alba nube translatus
fuerit, opere precium duximus calamum divino nutu
vertere.
Explicit Vita Sancti Cadoci qui et Sophie. Incipit
passio ejusdem IX Kal. Feb. in Beneventana civitate.
34. Quomodo Sanctus Cadocus a Carbani valle alba
nube Beneventum fuit translatus.
Apparuit angelus Domini beato Cadoco nocte dominica
palmarum in sompnis, dicens ei, " Deus decrevit te jamjam
de terra Brittannie discessurum." Cui beatus vir respon-
dens, ait, "Omnia que mihi precepta fuerint a Domino
pro posse meo libentius effectui mancipabo, sed quem
admodum hinc discedam penitus ignoro." Ad quern ange-
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 71
lus, "Cras namque postquam populo tuo evangelizatus es,
ad locum qui est juxta castellum tuum, quo solebas post
tuam predicationem quiescere, redibis, ibidemque gradum
sistens parumper morabis, illoque subito nubes lucida
operiet te, atque sic super earn in corpore transveheris ad
Beneventanam civitatem, utpote Helyas curro igneo ad
Paradisum ; hoc nempe tibi signum erit ; cum descensurus
de nube fueris, Abbas illius civitatis eadem hora honorifi-
center in tua presentia sepulture tradetur ; deposito illius
tandem pro more Abbatum humato, Abbatem te loco
ipsius monachi ejusdem loci substituent. Quamobrem
tuum principale oppidum Lanncarvan, cum universis cle-
ricis et plebe tua, celibi discipulo tuo Elli in omnium
aspectu, commodis, illumque doctorem ac rectorem illis
perficis." In eadem vero nocte idem Dei nuntius Priori
Beneventani civitatis in visione soporis ostenditur, ista in-
timans, "Cras plane quidam sapiens clericus occidentalis
Brittannus, servus Dei electus, hue ad vos venturus est,
eumque Abbatem super vos ordinari pontifici obnixius sup
plicate, quoniam Abbas vester hac nocte defungetur; ipsum
enim elegit Deus ut Abbatis vestri vice vobis subrogetur,
Sophiasque apud vos vocabitur, quia Dei sapientise plenus
est." Surgens ergo matutinus beatus Cadocus, que ab an-
gelo ei predicta fuerant, suo virgini karissimo auditori Elli,
retulit ; circa horam vero primam, ubi secretius super his
que supra tetigi, Elli convenit in dominica die palm arum
processionem ex more, cum sanctorum reliquiis fecit, ab
ecclesia cum clericis procedens populis se sequentibus, us
que ad rivulum Sancti Cadoci, qui Brittanriice Pistill Cat-
tuc appellatur ; ibique, ut aiunt, populo desuper aggerem
qui est secus eundem rivulum, usque tertiam horam predi-
cavit ; circa tertiam nempe sinaxin post predicationem cum
omni turba ad suum castellum revertit, illicque substitit
suam iterando sermocinationem ; finito denique sermone
secundum angelicum preceptum, cunctos astantes, hujusce-
modi verba alloquitur.
"Audite me, fratres, sermonesque meos auribus vestris
72 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
percipite; constituo namque super vos hodie discipulum
meum Ellinum, rectorem, atque doctorem, vosque ilium
alacriter suscipite, et ei humiliter obtemperantes servite,
quum sanctus est ; nam ego ipse vite mee finis inscius sum."
Ellinus quippe solus hujus rei conscius erat, ac hec verba
graviter in corde suo ferebat. Tune imperavit illis omni
bus vir Dei, et ait, "Hoc vobis in nomine Domini jubeo,
quatinus nullus mundanus potens rex, neque episcopus, nee
optimas de aliqua controversia seu injuria super vos un-
quam dijudicet ; sed si quispiam vobis quodlibet nefas irro-
gaverit, sive quilibet vestrum alium injuraverit, ullus in
qualibet alia causa quum quoquomodo super vos dicatur,
ex vobismet ipsis judices vestri fiant. Locus autem judicii
sub umbra corili sit, quam juxta monasterium ipsemet
plantavi, detque suum pignus judicio recto stare, in Abbatis
manu in tempore juditii.
Abbas vero super aram illud ponat, et judicent verita-
tem secundum veram sinodi rationem, et seriem judicialem
libri mei qui ego scripsi. Si quis hoc mandatum contemp-
serit ut infregerit, in arbitrio summi arbitris maledictus sit,
nee diu vivet, neque bonitatis habundantiam unquam in-
veniet. Qui autem servaverit, sit benedictus, et augeat illi
Deus longevitatem vite, et angelus Domini in omnibus
locis comitetur ei." Adhuc ipso loquente, ecce claritas
Dei repente circumfulsit illos, omnesque proni pariter in
facies suas super terram ceciderunt, non valentes tanti
cernere luminis jubar. Universis itaque in terram caden-
tibus, beatus Cadocus in nube alba raptus ab oculis eorum
evanuit, illicoque in palpebre motu in civitate Beneventana
de nube descendens, inter Abbatem sepelientes visus est ;
mirumque dictu, linguam illorum dono Sancti Spiritus,
continuo integerrime novit, ipsique similiter suam; mox
namque cognoverunt quod ipse erat de quo prius ad Pri-
orem angelus locutus.
In eadem siquidem hora, facta congregatione cunctorum
clericorum monachorum nee non plurimorum, una cum
episcopo civitatis ejusdem, cum communi assensu super
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 73
iiios gratanter Abbatem ordinaverunt, atque Sophiam ilium
nuncupaverunt ; viderunt etenim ilium divina sapientia
refertum, et quoniam illo nomine eum vocari prius ab an-
gelo jussum fuerat. Paulo vero postea itidem magnam
partem ejusdem urbis muro vallavit, quam antea limo terre
erect a materia minutatim ruinis crebrescentibus in rnderis
defecerat. Operarii plane laticis inopia laborantes, opusque
ob hanc rem infectum relinquentes, ad Sanctum Sophiam
clamantes dixerunt, "Amodo nullo modo operari valemus,
quia limpham cominus reperire nequimus." Oravit igitur
Sanctus Sophias ipsa nocte ad Dominum quatinus illi qui
super hac re facturus esset dignaret ostendere. Post ora-
tionem autem cum fessos vigiliis artus quiete sompni con-
quiesceret, angelus ethere delapsus blande ilium consolatur
ne propter hoc mestificaretur, ceterum mane surgens ad
murum civitatis pergeret, illoque se largifluum fontem re-
perturum ad opus cementariorum predixit. Sanctus quippe,
secundum angelicum imperium, diliculo stratus sese impiger
excutiens, ad prospiciendum inceptum civitatis murum pro-
peranter pervenit, illucque fontem altum juxta murum
invenit.
35. Qualiter Sanctus Ellinus beatum Cadocum annuatim
visere consuevit.
Consuevit autem Ellinus aliquotiens usque ad Beneven-
tanam civitatem, gratia visitandi beatum Cadocum, qui et
Sophias, proficisci cum quibusdam discipulis ipsius, quorum
singulis ejusdem visitationis vicibus ibidem quidam obie-
runt, ac in monasterio Sancti Sophie honorifice sepulti
sunt ; quorum nempe sepulchra in una serie ordinatim ante
altare a pariete ad parietem componuntur. Octo quidem
decentissima illorum marmorea busta inibi habentur.
36. Quomodo Sanctus Cadocus in episcopum Beneven-
tanum sublimatur.
Defuncto itaque civitatis ipsius episcopo, proxima nocte
apparuit angelus Domini in visu beato Sophie, precipiens
74 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
ei a Domino quatinus episcopatus ordinem susciperet ; ipsa
quoque nocte idem uranitus nuntius Archidiacono, dum
indulgeret sopori, revelavit quatinus sequente die, remota
dilatione, Sanctum Sophiam divina jussione ad pontificatus
gradum promoverent. Archidiaconus, siquidem una cum
clericorum conventu, plebe coadunata, deificum oraculum
angelica revelatione sibi notificatum super Sancti Sophie
promotione, palam omnibus indicavit. Universis igitur
audientibus Archidiaconi sermo placuit, Sanctumque So
phiam unanimiter in episcopatus sede constituunt.
Post modicum vero temporis, dum isdem antistes in pre-
sulatus dignitate degeret, suamque diocesim mite1 sancte-
que regeret, in visu noctis audivit angelum Domini dicen-
tem sibi, " En tibimet a Domino datur optio, nunc elige
quo exitu hanc letalem vitam deseres ad regnum velis mi-
grare perpetuum." Respondit illi, " Martirium quum om
nibus coram Domino preciosius est funeribus eligens ad-
opto." Ad quern angelus, "Robustus," inquit, " esto corde
et animO; quia Deus tecum est ; eras etenim quidam rex
crudelis hanc civitatem depopulabit; atque dum divina
misteria misse celebraveris, quidam miles ex ipsius com-
plicibus, monasterium ingressus, te super aram atrociter
haste cuspide tenebrans,2 trucidabit." Beatus itaque So
phias inde gratias agens Deo, dixit ad angelum, "Promptus
sum ad martirium, hac enim nece Dominus noster Jesus
Christus, et ejus apostoli, nonnullique alii mundum trium
ph averunt, celestisque regni gloriain meruerunt." Exper-
gefactus igitur almus Sophias ad matutinas laudes pro
more surrexit, dieque lucescente circa primam horam se
missalibus vestibus infulavit divinum sacrificium celebra-
turus. Illo nempe missam decantante, ecce prefatus tiran-
nus, exercitu coadunato, suburbanos urbi contiguos devas-
tavit, ex quorum cunctis quidam in civitatem predandi
causa venerunt. Unde clamoribus, et ejulatibus undique
per civitatem perstrepentibus ; Sanctus Sophias imperter-
1 Juste, T. 2 Cdebrans, T.
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 75
ritus stetit, neque misse celebrationem ullum paululum
interrupit, quum hujus plage conscius extitit.
Turn1 protinus quidam ex equitibus ecclesiam, in qua
libavit dominica sacramenta, concito cursu stomacanti
furore, intrans, Sanctum Sophiam altari sacro astantem,
dominicique corporis et sanguinis salutiferam consecratio-
nem libantem, lancea penetravit. Qui statim proprio cru-
ore perfasus, oculis ad celum erectis, animam suam Domino
commen davit, dicens, " Domine Jesu Christe, accipe spiri-
tum meum." Pro suo quoque lictore, ad similitudinem
beati Stephani proto-martyris, humiliter exoravit, " Domine,
Domine, ne statuas," inquit, " illi peccatum, quum ignora-
vit quod egit." Et ad Dominum conversus petitionem
continuando persequitur, " Domine omnipotens, invisibilis
rex, Jesu Christe salvator, postulationem meam mihi presta,
Christianos qui habitant in meis locis adjuva, gratiamque
corpori meo prebe quatinus universi qui de meis ossibus,
sive meorum discipulorum partem aliquam habuerint, vir-
tutes faciant, demones procul depellant, et omnis pestis ab
eis eminus absistat. Non fiat infecunditas in fructibus
eorum, neque sterilitas in segetibus illorum, at omnium
bonorum opulentia locupletentur, et remitte eis crimina
sua, quo me venerentur in terris, teque semper glorificent
in celum." Et ecce vox ex nube Candida demittitur, di
cens, " Cadoce, famule mi, ascende ad regnum patris mei,
et quod postulasti tibi faciam, et non contristabo te, beatus
enim es, quoniam mei memor in extremis extitisti. Dico
autem tibi, si quis stabat in magna tribulatione, nominis
tui memor existens, me pro te invocaverit, ab ilia tribula-
tionis angustia liberabitur."
Postquam vero Dominus ei locutus est, signo salutifere
crucis se munivit, atque in maims omnipotentis spiritum
emisit. Et ecce repente coruscatio magna super populum
in ejus exequiis devotum, et ad sepeliendum se congrega-
tum facta est, ut nullus illorum earn sustinere pervaleret.
1 Tune, T.
76 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
Tulerunt ergo corpus ejus, et lintheis candidis involution
posuerunt in loculo argenteo, et deportaverunt ad locum
sepulture cum ymnis et psalmis, et canticis, ac multis lam-
padibus, eumque honorifice sepelierunt. Multo plures
namque virtutes post ejus excessum, apud monumentum
sarchofagi ipsius extiterunt, quam prius in vita illius. Cecis
visus, claudis gressus restituebatur, leprosi mundabantur,
demones ab obsessis fugabantur.
In ejus igitur honorem magnam edificaverunt basilicam
super ipsius venerabile sepulchrum, in quo imllus Brittan-
nus intrare permittitur. Quod ideo lit, uti1 ferunt periti
Beneventane civitatis, qui futurum est quendam Brittonem
ex suo principal! monasterio videlicet, et de Lanncarvan a
Brittannia illo advenire, et sacrum humum reliquiarum sui
corporis furto inde quandoque auferre, et pro pretiosissimi
depositi illius ablationem universas virtutes, totamque gra-
tiam ejus sancti, una cum preciosarum reliquiarum corporis
ipsius gleba inde ad propriam terram suam, scilicet Brit-
tanniam, in qua natus est, apud Lanncarvan demigrare.
Quinimo quod gravius et horribilius auditu, constat post
ablationem sacrosancti corporis sui, fontem almifluum, quo
secus urbem est, quern Deus ad opus operariorum pro ejus-
dem precibus de tellure manare fecit, velut pontus super
totam urbem, et omnes habitatores illius inundaturum pre-
sagiunt. Sanctus igitur Cadocus, dum in hac vita viguit,
humanam laudem vitans, plura Deo soli cognita, mortalibus
autem incognita fecit, quamquidem perse verantiam fruga-
litatis illius, et parsimonie, jejuniorum, vigiliarium, oratio-
num, etiam nunquam ullo intercapedinis intervallo pre-
teriit. Iste non modo in vita sua miracula gessit, verum
et post transitum de hujus seculi fallacis ergastulo virtutum
immmera prodigia peregit, patrante Domino nostro Jesu
Christo ; qui cum Deo Patre, et Spiritu Sancto, vivit et
regnat in secula seculorum. Amen.
1 Sicut, T.
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 77
37. De mugitu feretri Sancti Cadoci a quodam percussi,
et partientis interitu.
Post demigrationem gloriosissimi Cadoci de transitoriis
ad perpetua, quidam vicecomes Anglorum viribus pervalidus,
nuncupatione Eilaf dictus, ad Morcanentium regionem
cum magna classe satellitum, predandi, vastandique causa,
pervenit ; porro clerici preclari Cadoci accepta illius impie-
tatis fama, de Lancarvan fugerunt cum feretro sancti et
aliis reliquiis, presidii locum gerentes, usque Mammelliat
locum, ibique se abdiderunt. Cumque parumper eo mora-
rentur cum feretro et reliquiis, predonum multitudo Daco-
rum atque Anglorum venit ad eos; qui feretrum intuentes,
ambierunt secum transportare totoque nisu a quattuor ad
centum homines illud sullevare temptaverunt, sed nee a
loco dimovere prevaluerunt. Exindi bile vesanie concitati,
unus ceteris vecordior otius currens, arrepta fuste valido,
illud ictu percutit; quo percusso, ingentem mugitum velut
taurus edidit, et omnem exercitum valde perterruit, sta-
timque terremotus in illis partibus factus est magnus. Re-
licto tandem ab eis feretro, quidam ceteris infelicior, avi-
ditate ductus, pinnaculum ejus deauratum bipenni incidit,
et in gremio ipsius occuluit, quod sine mora sinum illius
quasi ignis exussit, atque dolore ardoris stupefactum concite
pinnaculum in loco suo apponere coegit; qui appositus
veluti compactus auri cudore fuisset, firmiter adhesit; quo
facto, feretri illius infaustus violator, conspectu totius exer-
citus liquefactus est, prout cera ante faciem ignis. Hoc
prodigio conspicato, quique pavore stupidi a predictis ex-
torres inde repedaverunt; deincepsque libidine predandi
loca prememorata patroni caruerunt, nee non et terras ejus-
dem vastare desierunt.
38. De Bove in frustis conciso, et elixo rursus vite re-
suscitato.
Quodam tempore, Margetud, rex Reinuc, ad Morcanen-
sium propriam, ut in ea regnaret, cum valida hostium manu
78 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
pervenit; quo cum perventum fuisset, jussit rapinas agere,
bovesquo ad vescendum ad castra abigere; aduxeruntque
ergo centum boves, inter quos erat unus pinguissimus, qui
ab oppidanis beati Cadoci direptus fuerat; quern cum occi-
sum in frustis inciderent quo regi esurient! suis quo com-
plicibus assaturas inde pararent; sed carnes ejus nee carbo-
nibus assari, neque laticibus elixari ullatenus quierunt.
Quod cum regi nunciatum fuisset, precepit omnes premisses
boves suis possessoribus reddi. Cum autem cuncti insimul
congregarentur, interfectus quern super tetigi bos inter alios
integer vivus et incolumis apparuit; tune unusquisque suum
suscipiens bovem, laudantes, et giorificantes Deum in pre-
cioso famulo suo Cadoco.
39. De ruptione circulorum ferreorum.
Post plurimum temporis quidem intervallum, tres pere-
grini circulis ferreis ligati, ab Oriente ad prefati Sancti
monasterium in die solempnitatis ejusdem venerunt. Dum-
que missa celebraretur, ilia ita ligamina ferrea cuncto
populo conspiciente ruperunt. Quamobrem ut hoc miracu-
lum omnibus esset manifestum illos circulos super altare
suspenderunt.
40. De Procuratore trucidato, denuoque redivivo.
Idem igitur Sanctus par tern agri cujusdam apud Hiber-
niam super ripam fluminis Limplii possidet ; quo fidelissi-
mum prepositum quendam habuit, qui procaciter segetes
Domini sui ne vicinorum armenta illas depascerent, serva-
vit. Sepenumero plane se proximorum pecora in custodia
concludente, Procurator illius provincie furore succensus,
collectus secum centum viris armatis, beati viri procura-
torem simul aggrediuntur, ferientes ergo mutuo ilium om
nes unusquisque singillatim uno ictu sui mucronis vulne-
rando, trucidaverunt, ne unus quidem, sed universi hucus
homicidi! rei pariter extitissent. Recedentibus autem illis
post ejus interfectionem atque retrorsum aspicientibus, ip-
sum paulo prius necatum sanum stantem viderunt; quo
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 79
intuito, festinanter ad eum cursum direxerunt, circumspi-
cientes qtiemadmodum vulnera tarn cito capitis ejus curata
fuerunt, quse haut majora quam scirporum livores sanatis ci-
catricibus apparuemnt. Tune omnibus vestigiis ipsius per-
volutis sue mortis reatum indulsit. Discedentes autem inde
simul ad regem proficiscuntur, referentes ei cuncta que
super hoc miraculo contemplati fuerant. Rex quidem ubi
hec audivit, terminos agri istius memorandi paterni dilata-
vit, et eum in omni vita sua magnificavit. Testificantur
etiam periti Hibernensium qui clunererunt in monasterio
discipuli sui beati Finiani degerunt, quod si quis ex clericis
Sancti Cadoci iverit ad illos, honorifice eum suscipiunt; et
ipsum velut unum ex illis heredem faciunt. Et hoc fertur
esse prognosticon justicie eorum, et priscum, si seram mo-
nasterii manu tangendo, sine clave reseraverit.
41. De Arboris reflexione sub pedibus predicatoris.
Aliquando rex Reinuc, vocamine Gin an, cognomento
Carguinu, coadunata valida hostium manu, proposuit inva-
dere totam terram Morcanensium ; peractaque strage viro-
rum et direptione jumentorum atque supellectilium sibi
vendicare. Et admotis castris, consederunt apud ripam
magni fluminis Ned; quo comperto rex Morcanti regionis,
pavore perculsus, clerum crebrius dicti Sancti enixius flagi-
tavit, quatinus cum reliquiis, et area ejusdem patroni, regi
Reinuc obviam incederent, illumque suppliciter postularent
ne sibi inmerito aliquam injuriam irrogaret. Euntibus
autem illis cum reliquiis ad litus amnis Ned, unus eorum
proceram arborem ascendens cum varia campanula, ut inde
regem alloqueretur, quum pro nimia aquarum inundatione
flumen transire nequiverant; turn clamans de arboris apice
ad regem, predicavit sibi de miraculis almi Cadoci ; quo
predicante, cepit se arbor sub pedibus ipsius clerici paula-
tim solotenus vergere,1 et pontis vice se permeabilem pre-
bere, quatinus idem per ipsam ultra flumen transiens, facie
ad faciem regi conferret.
i Vigere, T.
80 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
Quo viso predictus rex pacis presidium omni patrie con-
tulit, indeque pacifico cum universa exercitus acie ad pro-
prias sedes repedavit. O vere beatum virum in quo dolus
inventus non fuit, neminem injuste judicans, neminem con-
tempnens. Nullus eum unquam nimis gavisum nee valde
mestum aspexit, exceptis orationibus horis quibus lacrime
cum precibus Deo libarentur. Nusquam nee eundem ad-
versa fregere, neque prospera extulere; nunquam in illius
ore nisi Christus, et que sibi causa profectus humane cor-
rectionis attinent, nee in corde nisi pax, et patiens cum
miscricordia pietas. Indies Spiritu Sancto inscrutabatur
ea que non sua sed Jesu Christi fuerunt, qui almi pneumatis1
templum electum erat. Et idcirco pro illis omnibus, et
ceteris similibus inaccessibili et inestimabili perhenni quo-
que gloria quam oculus non vidit, nee auris audivit, nee in
cor hominis ascendit, coruscat in celis cum patre, et filio,
et Spiritu Sancto, trino et uno, vero Deo omnipotente; cui
est honor, et gloria, virtus et potentia, fortitudo et imperium
sine fine permanens in secula seculorum. Amen.
Nemo potest fari miracula gesta Cadoci;
Est quia non solus presens hie more loquendi ;
Det veniam Christus, terrarum conditor orbis,
Cui scripsit vitam culparum nomine Lifris.
42. De Genealogia beati Cadoci.
Orta est Genealogia beatissimi Cadoci ex nobilissimis
imperatoribus Roman orum, a tempore incarnation is Jesu
Christi; Augustus Cesar, in cujus tempore natus est Christus,
genuit Octavianum ; Octavianus genuit Tiberium ; Tiberius
genuit Caium; Caius genuit Claudium; Claudius genuit
Vespasianum; Vespasianus genuit Titum; Titus genuit Domi-
cianum ; Domicianus genuit Neronem, sub quo passi sunt
apostoli Christi Petrus et Paulus. Nero genuit Trajanum;
Trajanus genuit Adrianum; Adrianus genuit Antonium;
Antonius genuit Commodum ; Commodus genuit Meobum;
1 Sancti Spiritus in margine.
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 81
Meobus genuit Severum ; Severus genuit Antonium ; An-
tonius genuit Maucanum ; Maucanus genuit Aurelianum ;
Aurelianus genuit Alexandrum ; Alexander genuit Maxi
mum; Maximus genuit Gordianum; Gordianus genuit
Philippum ; Philippus genuit Decium ; Decius genuit Gal-
lum ; Gallus genuit Valerianum ; Valerianus genuit Cleo-
patram ; Cleopatra genuit Aurelianum ; Aurelianus genuit
Titum; Titus genuit Probum; Probus genuit Carosium ;
Carosius genuit Dioclesianum, qui persecutus est Christi-
anos in toto orbe. In illius enim tempore beati martires Al-
banus scilicet Julian, Aaron, aliique plures martirium passi
sunt. Diocletianus genuit Galerium ; Galerius genuit Con-
stantinum magnum, filiuni Helene; Constantinus genuit
Constantium ; Constantius genuit Maximianum, cum quo
milites Brittonum exierunt a Brittania, et occidit ipse Gra-
tianum imperatorem Romanorum, tenuitque imperium
totius Europe, et non dimisit pugiles, quos secum a Brit
tania adduxit, repatriare propter strenuitatem illorum, sed
tribuit eis plures provincias et regiones, quippe a stagno
quod est super verticem mentis Jovis, usque ad civitatem,
nomine Cantguic, et usque ad cumulum occidentalem, id
est Cruc Ochideint, atque ex illis equitibus orta est gens
que vocatur Lettau.1 Maximianus itaque genuit Ouguein;
Ouguein genuit Nor; Nor genuit Solor; Solor genuit
Gluigius; Gluigius genuit Gundleium; Gundleius genuit
beatissimum Cadocum, de quo nobis sermo,
43. De repetitione Genealogie Sancti Cadoci.
Repetitia est Genealogia, materies ejusdem Sancti ex
parte patris ipsius de optimis prosapiis regum Hibernien-
sium, Biscetbach genuit Brusc ; Brusc genuit Urbf ; Urbf
genuit Aulach; Aulach genuit Brachanum ; Brachanus
genuit Gladusam matrein Sancti Cadoci. Hec Genealogia
Gladuse parte matris ejus, de genere regum Morcanentium,
atque Mecumentium. Anna quam dicunt periti consobri-
1 Britain, T.
82 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
nam esse Marie virginis, matris Jesu Christi, genuit Beli ;
Beli autem genuit Abattach ; Abattach genuit Baallad ;
Baallad genuit Oudolenn ; Oudolenn genuit Eudos ; Eudos
genuit Ebiud, Ebiud genuit Outigirim; Outigirim genuit
Oudicant; Oudicant genuit Ritigurinum; Ritigir genuit
Rimetel ; Rimetel genuit Grat ; Grat genuit Urban ; Ur
ban genuit Teilpuill ; Teilpuill genuit Teuchuant ; Teuch-
uant genuit Tecmant ; Tecmant genuit Guotepauc ; Guo-
tepauc genuit Coilhen ; Coilhen genuit Guorgust ; Guorgust
genuit Merchiaun ; Merchiaun genuit Cimmarch ; Cim-
march genuit Henninni filiam suam; Henninni genuit
Meuric ; Meuricus genuit Erbie ; Erbie genuit Yrb ; Yrb
genuit Idnerth; Idnerth genuit Teitpall; Teitpall genuit
Teudiric ;x Teudiricus qui est martir effectus in Guent,
scilicet Merthir Teudiric qui genuit Marchell matrem Gla-
duse, Gkdusa vero genuit almum Cadocum.
44. De Genealogia vero Gladuse matris Gundleu regis,
genitoris venerabilis Cadoci, a superdicta mulieri iterata.
Anna quippe genuit Beli ; Beli genuit Abellach ; Abel-
lach genuit Baal ad ; Baalad genuit Euguem ; Euguem
genuit Brithguem ; Brithguem genuit Dubunn ; Dubunn
genuit Oumuid; Oumuid genuit Anguerit; Anguerit ge
nuit Amgoloit ; Amgoloit genuit Guordubn ; Guordubn
genuit Dubn ; Dubn genuit Guordoli ; Guordoli genuit
Doli; Doli genuit Guoreing; Guoreing genuit Ceint;
Ceint genuit Tacit ; Tacit genuit Patern peis rudauc ; Pa-
tern genuit Etern ; Etern genuit Cuneda ; Cuneda genuit
Credic, Credic genuit Guaul matrem Gunleii, Gunleius
autem genuit sanctissimum Cadocum.
45. De constitutione canonicorum Nantcarbanensis ci-
vitatis.
Sanctus Cadocus constituit XXXVI Canonicos, qui as-
sidue et regulariter servirent ecclesie Nantcarbanensi ;
1 Teudur, T.
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 83
quoniam ipse funditus, electione Dei et hominum, secun-
dum divinum propositum fundavit, et totidem atria, in qui-
bus haberent canonici sua edificia, et totidem particulas de
agricultura, in quibus stabant octoginta jugera, que voca-
bantur, ab antiquis temporibus, atriorum propria, que cole-
bant hortolani qui habebant curam in pomeriis et hortis
componendis atque in hospitiis custodiendis, et insuper toti
dem villas a quibus habebant necessaria indumenti et
victus.
46. De possessionibus predictorum canonicorum.
Primum Atrium deserti, quod est proprie Abbatis, cum
villa Tremgueithen. Atrium benigni, quod doctor possidet
cum particula agri in Castello. Atrium appositum corilo,
quod est sacerdotis, ubi Sanctus Cadocus habuit habitacu-
lum. Atrium Aidanbloch cum particula Nioysgurthin, cum
villa Ulteriori Pennon. Atrium album quod nullus incertus
debet visitare, in quo Sanctus Elli, alumpnus ejus, et suc
cessor habitavit, cum particula Crucygreif cum alia proxi-
miori et majori Pennon. Atrium coquine cnm particula
agri eundo ad dextram versus Talcat Ian, cum villa Pen-
crychgel. Aliud Atrium coquine cum particula agri id est
Cayricoc cum villa, Pellussen. Atrium consulatus cum
particula juxta Talcathlan, cum villa Talpontymit. Atrium
Tremycrucou cum Tremycrucou. Atrium Tremlech cum
particula ultra crucem, et villa Tremlech. Atrium Samso-
nis cum particula Cymmyoucyti. Atrium Elphin cum villa
Cestilldincat. Atrium Chincencoh. Atrium pistrine cum
villa Nantbucelis. Atrium Talcatlan que est proprie Ab
batis. Atrium Curci sacerdotis cum particula Cair Arthan,
et villa Pencrycgel cum Pistilcatuc. Atrium Arguistel
cum particula Ygrestyl et villa Hentrem dymbrych. At
rium Nestree cum particula ultra fossam Pulltavus curn
villa Brinsychan. Atrium Eida cum villa Trefhenun. At
rium Cair guicou cum villa Ecclussilid. Atrium Albryt
mab Cynuyt cum villa Alt Cynuit. Atrium Cyndrayth cum
particula Nantcyncar et villa Pencrycgel, et Cilbleingurth.
84 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
Atrium Ellybr cum villa Ellibr. Atrium Crucinan cum
villa Crucpilia. Atrium Medgarth cum villa Medgarth.
Atrium Caerydicycit cum villa Cairdicit. Atrium Cynblust,
sine parte ecclesie, cum villa Celli dremiauc, id est Nant
Carthay.1
47. De partium distributione.
In primis dabantur sex partes, Abbati prima pro domi-
nio ; Secunda Doctori pro doctrina ; tertia Sacerdoti pro
sacerdotio. Et quod remanebat, dividebatur equaliter
Clero secundum numerum Prebendariorum, exceptis qua-
tuor, scilicet sepeliario, et tribus legatis, qui serviebant
clero cum reliquiis quocunque deberent mitti, qui nullam
communionem habebant in clero nisi in particulis et in ci-
bis ; sed homines qui ad ecclesie refugium veniebant, re-
meabant de refugio, dabant eis suam dignitatem, ovem
videlicet cum agno, aut quatuor mrnimos.
48. De more decimationis.
Quicunque decimaverit, debet dividere in tres partes ;
primam dabit confessori ; secundam altari ; tertiam oranti-
bus pro eo ; pars autem altaris dividitur sicut prediximus.
49. De more testamentorum.
Si quis languore gravatus commendare noluerit separating
commendet secundum possibilitatem suam confessori suo
prius pro ea ecclesia et vigiliis ; et partes ecclesie, et vigili-
arum dividuntur sicut prediximus.
50. De conversione Gunliu.
Sciendum est quod in diebus Gunliu, fuit quidam sacer-
dos preclari nominis Catocus, filii premissi Gunliu; erat
autem idem beatus Catocus perfectus in fide, serviens Spi-
ritu Sancto cotidie, se exercens in sanctis evangeliis Christi.
Ceterum prefatus Gundliu pater hujus carnalibus illecebris
1 Druemauc, id est Nantcarthen, T.
VITA SANCTI CADOCL 85
deditus, satellites suos sepius ad rapinam, et latrocinia in-
stigabat, penitusque contra fas etqtie jus degens, vitam
plerisque nevis1 inquinabat. Beatus nempe Cadocus edifi-
cavit ecclesiam suam in quatuor fundamentis, justicia, pru-
dentia, fortudine, temperantia. Erat autem hoc monasterium
plenum choris psallentium, legentium, orantium ; quos
Sanctus Cadocus indesinenter divinis eloquiis, Sancto Spiritu
sibi cooperante, ad deitatis obsequium, et ad mutue carita-
tis offitium, indigentibus misericordie opera impendendo,
accendendo. At ubi vir Dei Cadocus, pravos proprii geni-
toris actus altius ingemiscens sibi condoluit, fidelesque
nuntios ex discipulis ipsius, Finniannum videlicet, Guava-
num, ac Ellinum, quatinus eum ab omni errore malignitatis-
que nequitie converterent, atque divinitatis manciparent
obsequio, direxit. Qui diligentius convenientes, eum una-
nimiter cum seriioribus commonuerunt ilium, quatinus
diabolo, pompisque ejus et sceleribus renunciatis penitendo
resipiscens, consilio filii sui Cadoci se crederet, Deo etiam et
sibi commissa confiteretur. Quod audiens Gladusa con-
junx ipsius compuncta Spiritu divinitatis, inquit, "Creda-
mus filio nostro, eritque nobis pater in celo." Respondens
vero Gundliu, ait, " Quicquid dixerit mihi, faciamus, et quo-
cunque voluerit, vadam." Convenientes itaque Cadocus
cum monachis Gundliu vero cum senioribus, nee non et
Guladus mater Cadoci, consiliis ejus otius adquiescentes,
eidem Cadoco, uterque scilicet Gundliu et uxor ejus delicto-
rum confessionem cum satisfactione penitencie fecerunt.
De cetero Gundliu in hunc modum omnes affatus, " Quicun-
que fuerit de genere meo, serviet Cadoco in vera pietate,
universique qui in mea terra deguerint, post obitum eorum
in cimiterio ejus sepelientur." Et ait Cadocus, " Peniten-
tiam agite, appropinquat enim regnum celorum ; ego enim
preparabo vobis mansionem in celestibus." Et protinus can-
taverunt psalmum, "Exaudiat te Dominus in die tribulatio-
nis," usque in finem. Testes sunt Gundliu cum senioribus
Catocus cum monaclris et alumpnis suis.
1 Venis, T.
M
86 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
51. De profectione Gundliu et uxoris ejus.
Post aliquanti temporis intervallum, Gundliu et uxor
ejus voto peregre profecti sunt in Theluch ; venitque nun-
tius a Deo ad Cadocum ut ad proprios parentes veniret,
eisque consuleret quo veram pro delictis penitentiam age-
reret ; qui maturius jussis divinis obtemperans, parentes ut
id agerent sacris admonitionibus animavit. Indeque1 Guladus
mater ejus edificavit sibi ecclesiam in Pencarnou; Gund
liu vero mox2 aliud monasterium construxit, ibidem que Deo
famulantes instituit ; exinde utque parens Cadocum invita-
vit, quern venientem devotius susceperunt ecclesiasque
supradictas quas sibi construxerant, ei dederunt, ac uni-
versa que habuerunt sue ditioni tradiderunt. Nullus harum
ecclesiarum prepositus erit, nisi ex familia Cadoci viri
Dei, uter ipsius consensu et permissioni. Et dixit Gundlius,
"Quicunque disruperit de genere meo, et de senioribus
Gundliauc, maledictus erit in eternum." Cadocus cum suis
monachis testes. Censum uter pensionem istarum ecclesi
arum nullus accipiat nisi familia Cadoci, neque prepositus
sive princeps in eis erit, nisi electione aut constitutione
familie ejusdem Cadoci.
52. De gladio, quern Tewdwr dux dedit Sancto Cadoco.
Sciendum est quod Theudor filius Mourici dedit gladi-
um vestimentumque Catoco, et familie ejus quatinus emc-
rent terram in sustentationem ejusdem. Conige vero Abbas
altaris Sancti Cadoci tribuit gladium ilium vestimentumque
Spois, et Rodrico pro villa cui nomen Conguoret in Pen-
cenli, qui concesserunt lianc Cadoco et ejusdem ecclesie
possidendam, jure perpetuo, qua annua pensione persolvere-
tur permisso Conige, ac prelibate familie per manum Spois
et filiorum ejus in eternum, novem modios cervise, panem
quoque, carnem ac mel, et ut ista possessio libera et qui-
eta foret ab omnibus servitiis et exactionibus terrenorum
1 Ilidemque, T. 2 j£ox deest, T.
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 87
regum. Isdem Spois, filius Curhiter, impertitus est, cum
tres vaccas Guornemet, unam prefatus Rodri tenuit car-
tarn; sive graplrium super manum Connige abbatis Nant-
carbanan in confirmationem hujus donationis. Postea vero
convenerunt Rodri et Spois ac filii ejus, Conige, etiam et
clerici ejus attulerunt crucem Sancti Cadoci, et humum
ejus, et circueundo predictum agrum Conguoret, illudque
vendicaverunt, et prescript! Sancti humum in signum per-
petue possess] onis, super ilium coram idoneis testibus con-
sperserunt.1 De laicis testes Rodri, Guornemet, Guoguoret,
Hoilbiu, Howhoer, Coelbiu ; de clericis Samson abbas alta-
ris Sancti Eltuti, Conige abbas altaris Sancti Cadoci, Plossan,
A tern, Jouan, Minuocioi, Brenic et familia Sancti Cadoci
testes erant. Qui conservaverit, conservet ilium Deus;
qui fregerit, maledictus erit a Domino. Amen.
53 De parte agri, quam Brannoguid dedit monasterio
Sancti Cadoci.
Sciendum est quod Brannoguid, filius Febric, dedit dimi-
diam partem agri Idraclis pro anima sua, et ut nomen ejus
in libro Catoci apud Nantcarban scribetur, Deo et monas
terio Sancti Cadoci; et ipse quidem Bronnoguid et tres filii
ejus Guedan et Guobrir, et Meuc tenuerunt scriptum
graphi super manum Conige principis altaris Cadoci, in
sempiterno donationis jure Deo et Sancto Cadoco. Anim
us etenim illius agri census perpetuns est tres modii cervise,
et panes, et carnes, et mina mellis; liec enim Bronotguid et
tres filii ejus, cognatio illorum annuatim debent persolvere
familie Cadoci, usque ad diem judicii. Hujus pactionis
testes sunt Bronnotguid dominus fundi, et filii ipsius,
Guoidan, Marcant, Junemet, Conige a])bas, Elionoy, Bre
nic, Mannocioi, Beduan, Plossan. Qui hanc donationem
servaverit, custodiat ilium Deus, et qui fregerit, maledictus
erit a Deo. Amen.
54. De penitentia Seii pro interfectione duorum nepo-
tum suorum.
88 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
Post intervallum temporis occidit Cuan Bunry1 duos
viros filios sororis ejus, Atgan scilicet et Aidnerth ; quam-
obrem venit Cadoc et Eltuith,2 et maledixerunt Guam, ve-
rum coactus venit Cuan et reges cum eo ad presentiam
Cadoci et Eltuti, confessusque est eis scelera sua. At illi
dixerunt ei, " Redime culpam homicidii." Respondit Catlen,
dicens, " Dabo agrum, nomine Lanhoitlan1 Cadoco ; pen-
sio ejus duo vasa sex modiorum cervise, cum pane et
carne et melle, secundum soli tarn debitam debiti mensura."
Merchiawn vero dedit villain, videlicet Conliil Eltuto, at-
que tria vasa, qui sex modios cervise continebant ; unum
quodque vas cum agris consecrantes prefatis sanctis in per-
petuam elemosinam contulerunt. At illi satisfactionem
Euan4 suscipientes, XIIII. annos penitentie injunxerunt ei.
Cujus facti testes fuerunt, Cation, Merchiaun, Euan,4
Cethy, Catman, Hoitlon, Virgo, Cadoc, Finian Seoctus,
Eutegyrn lector; familia quoque Cadoci atque Eltuti testes
sunt. Quique custodierit benedictus erit a Deo, et qui-
cunque fregerit, maledictus erit.
55. Quomodo Sanctus Cadocus construxit ecclesiam
Macmoillo discipulo suo.
Sciendum est vobis quod Cadoc construxit ecclesiam
Macmoillo, discipulo ejus, eamque munimine vallavit, ac in
eadem altare composuit ; quatinus illo hospitaretur quum
iret ad Guent, ac cum rediret ; dimisitque Macmoillum in
ea Priorem, atque administrationis totius Procuratorem.
Pollicitus est ergo Cadocus regni premia celorum cunctis
qui ejusdem ecclesie possessiones agris seu pecuniis aut
elemosinis auxerint. Testes sunt super hoc Cadoc et clerici
ejus Pachan, Detiu, Hoduan. Quicunque custodierit bene
dictus est a Deo ; et quicunque frangerit maledictus, erit a
Domino. Amen.
56. De agro Pencarnau, quern Gwallouer dedit Sancto
Cadoco.
1 Eirry, T. 2 Iltud, T. 3 Lanhordon, T. * leuan, T.
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 89
Sciendum est sane quod Gwallouer donavit Deo, et Sanc-
to Cadoco agrum Pencarnoy, pro anima sua in sempiternum,
usque ad diem Judicii; Gwallouer,1 autem hanc villam com-
mendavit Judnou filio suo, quatinus ipse et heredes ipsius
servirent familie Cadoci sumptibus hujus agri propter ipsos;
census hujus agri est novem modii cervise, panes et carnes,
et melle. Quinimo quocunque clerici Cadoci voluerint
manducare aut2 bibere, videlicet in Basseleg, seu in Pencar
noy, prefatus Judriou cibaria et potionem que prelibavimus
afferet ad illos. Hujus pactionis testes sunt, Paulus abbas
Nantcarban, Guenlion frater ejus, Thuiuc, Canopoi, Tanet,
Hierbritli, Mirhitr, Concum. Quicunque custodierit, custo-
diet ilium Deus, et qui fregerit maledictus erit a Domino.
Amen.
57. De parte agri, quam Retone dedit Sancto Cadoco.
Significandum est quod Retone dimidiam partem agri,
juxta Civitatem Legionis, Deo atque Sancto Cadoco, perpe-
tuo jure possidendam, quam ilium heridetario jure con-
tingebat, tamen qui ad Herbic devoluta fuerat eadem ab
illo emit, et Deo et Sancto Cadoco tribuit. Cujus rei sunt
testes, Herbic, Curnuet, Cogale clerici. De laicis Guornet,
Guedguon, Guedqui, Sonus, Alderreg. Qui custodierit sit
benedictus ; qui violaverit sit maledictus. Amen.
58. De agro, quern Temit dedit Sancto Cadoco.
Sciendum est quod Temit dedit agrum, id est de Agro
Crucin, altari Sancti Cadoci, in perpetua possessione, cum
filiis suis, in temp ore Pauli abbatis de Nantcarvan, qui an-
nuatim VI modios cervise et panibus, et carnibus familie
Sancti Cadoci jugiter persolvit. Testes sunt. De clericis
Guonan, Matganoi, Soy, Brenic, Elionoe, Pill lector. De
laicis vero Cingrat, Guedhoc, Elinniu, Rimogcat, Branoc,
Cunhape. Quicunque servaverit hac oblationem, conservet
ilium Deus ; et qui abstulerit confringet ilium Deus.
* Mt,V.
90 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
59. De villa Cradoc, quam Guengarth dedit Sancto
Cadoco.
Sciendum est qod Morcant rex venando venit ad ripam
fluminis Nadauaii, et jecit accipitrem super anatem; et am-
bo simul, accipiter et anas flumen volatu transmeaverunt.
Et subito veniebat aquila de ripa maris, ut raperet acci
pitrem. Quod ut vidit Morcant rex valde contristatus est.
Ast conciti alumpnus regis veniens, nomine Guengarth,
eques cum scuto et gladio ac lancea se in flumen proripuit,
et accipitrem a raptu aquile non modico viri liter eripuit,
verum etiam leporiter accipitrem cum anate ad manum
Morcant regis attulit, illumqe tali facinore nou minimum
letificavit. Quocirca dixit Morcant Guengartho. " Ecce
tribuo villam Cradoc in jus hereditarium liabentem longi-
tudinem ab urbe Trotguid usque ad flumen Nadauan, et
latidudinem a fonte Guengarth usque ad alium fontem
Guengarth." Eodem die Morcant et Guengarth perexer-
unt ad quoddam territorium Cadoci, et tribuit Guengarth
Deo et Sancto Cadoco censum prescripte ville Caradoc pro
anima sua et pro anima Morcanti regis, scilicet singulis
annis XII modios cervise, et sextarium mellis debitum quo-
que panem et carnein. Insuper etiam idem Guengarth
dedit Conmogoy Hipiclaur1 gladium suum deauratum pro
anima sua, quod habuit precium LXXta vaccarum. Quare
consuluit Commogoy Guengardo, quo gladium ilium Mor-
canto prestaret, ut ille donationem Guengardi confirmaret
super pago Cradoc, quod et fecit. Qua de re Morcant pre-
libatam donationem ratam habuit, atque scripto corrobora-
vit super manum Sulien, ilia illinc fore liberam et quietam
ab omni terreno servicio, vero funditus obsequio Dei et
Sancti Cadoci obnoxia. Hucus rei testes sunt, Morcant super
seipsum, ut nullus hujus territorii procurator extat nisi
Guengarth et heredes illius. De clericis, Sulien, Commogoi,
Danoc, Guorgethen, Legan, Elgnou; de laicis vero Guin-
1 Hipiclaur, T.
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 91
gueri, Jacob, Boduan, Elguan, Curhitr, Cuncuan. Quicun-
que custodierit, benedictus erit, et qui fregerit maledictus a
Deo et a Cadoco. Amen.
Notum sit omnibus pro mutabilitate temporum, et suc-
cessoribus hujus mundi regum, quod Elli alumpnus beati
Cadoci, ab ipso diligenter a primeva etate educatus, ac sa-
cris apicibus apprime institutus, illique cunctorum discipulo-
rum suorum carissimus. Et asseruit ille dicens, " Ecce ego
construxi ecclesiam et domos in nomine Domini, et ipse,
cunctique successores mei familie Cadoci erimus obedientes
subjecti atque benevoli familie Cadoci. Dedit etiam Elli
prescripte familie perpetua pensione singulis annis cibaria
per tres noctes in estate ac totidem in hieme, cum gratiarum
action e et letlcia, orationibus, et hymnis spiritualibus; ver-
um etiam in substituendo administratori ejusdem ecclesie,
Abbas cenobii Catoci preses semper erit et auctor. Ceterum
si contigit quod Catocus atque successores illius cum illorum
clientela minime venerint, dentur illis duos boves ad recog-
nitionem subjectionis et societatis. Unum convenientes ad
monasterium ille pactionem hanc cum pacis osculo confir-
mavit, in conspectu Elli justa crucem que est in via multis
nota. Hujus rei sunt testes, Cadoc, Elli, Cleopas, Samson,
Jacob, Boduan, Conachan, Mach. lerunt unusquisque ad
locum suum de benedictione in benedictionem. Amen.
60. De agro, quern Terengual dedit Sancto Cadoco.
Sciendum est quod Terengual dedit agrum Lecguoidel
Deo et Cadoco, qui annuatim persolvit Cadoco et familie
tres modios cervise, et panes et carnes, et si forte cervisa
caruerit, reddet ITIIor modios trtici, aut clamidem album.
Hanc elemosinam dedit Terengual Deo, et Sancto Cadoco
liberam et quietam ab omni regali et terreno servitio, pro
animam suam, et pro animam Morcant. Inde testes sunt,
Jacob prepositus altaris Cadoci et familia ejus, Conmogoi,
Connul, Joseph, Brunonoi, Catgen. De familie Eltuti testes,
Morcant, Gualunir, Guidgen, Guengarth. Finis hujus agri
est a Pull Tenbiub usque Dirprisc. Quicunque servaverit
benedictus sit, et qui violaverit maledictus erit a Deo.
92 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
61. De villa Rearth, quam Guorcinnim dedit Sancto
Cadoco.
Notum sit omnibus quod Guorcinnim emit villam Reathr
a Mourico in propriam hereditatem pro gladio,cujuscapulum
deauratum precium XXV vaccarum appreciatum. Imper-
titus est quoque Concennio, Pauli filio, equum in precio
quatuor vaccarum preciatum, etiam trium unciarum vesti-
menti Commoro, autem quondam equum optimum Con-
cenni filio sed et Andreso Morcanti filio gladium in preci
um quatuor vaccarum ; item idem largitus est precium
quatuor vaccarum Judnertho, Mourici filio ; unamqe bovem
Cornounano nutritori suo et aliam vaccam procurator! regis
Guengartho ; post hanc ergo emptionem tenuerunt Mouric
et Concen graphiam carte super manum Guorcinni in sem-
piternam hereditatem sibi et ejus progeniei. Ipse vere
Guorcim dedit hanc villam ecclesie Sancti Cadoci in perpe-
tua possessione usque in diem judicii ; tenuitque cyrograph-
um donationis super manum Jacobi, abbatis Carbani vallis,
pro commemoratione hujus elemosine, coram idoncis testi-
bus, quorum nomina subsribuntur, Eudoce episcopus, et
Cethig prepositus altaris Sancti Dogwini, Jacob prepositus
sive abbas altaris Sancti Cadoci, et familie ejus secum. De
familia Eltuti, testes sunt, Conmoc presbiter, Comnil ma-
gister, et Joseph presbiter, Biuone, Catgeni De laicis, vero
Mauricus, et filii ejus, Andrus, Guedgen, Bramail, Concit
films Ermit, Guorbis filius Berran, Geintoc, Assail, Arcon,
Guallimir, Judhol, Matton, Eliudus, Hilou ; omnes testes
super hanc donationis conscriptionem. Predicta namque villa
Rearthr competebat Mesioco hereditario jure, cui Guorcin
nim equum prestitit ut huic concessioni adquiesceret, ha-
bentem precium trium vaccarum. Qui hoc temeraverit,
maledictus erit a Deo.
62. De agro, quem Cambelin dedit Sancto Cadoco.
Sciendum est quod dedit Conbelin agrum Lisdin Borrion
vocatum pro commercio regni celestis, cum corpore suo, Deo,
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 93
et Sancto Cadoco, quod ei annuatim persolveret sex modios
cervise, cum pane, et carne et melle. Testis et Conige, qui
super manum suam scripsit coucuum cyrographum.
63. De terra Lancatwalader, quam Guoidnerth dedit
Sancto Cadoco.
Notificandum est quod dedit Guoidnerth Lann Catguala-
der Deo, et Sancto Cadoco, quatinus quot annis trium mo-
diorum cervise illi persolveretur, cum omnibus debitis,
propter fractricidium germani sui Merchiun, atque tandem
reddibus dedit Docwinno. Super hoc, testes fuerunt Berth-
guinus, episcopus ; Conmil ; Terchan, et congregatio ejus ;
Sulien abbas Nant Carban ; Lumbiu, presbiter ; Biuonoi ;
Jonab, et congregatio Sancti Cadoci ; Saturn, princeps al-
taris Docgwinni ; JVlorcant ; Quoidnerth. Quicunque serva-
verit, benedictus erit, et qui tern era verit, maledictus erit a
Deo.
64. De terra, quam Mauricius dedit Sancto Cadoco.
Ostendendum est futuris pro temporum mutacionibus, et
regum successoribus, quod Mouricus rex dedit partem agri
pro anima sua, qui vocatus Insule Tuican, ac due partes
agri qui proprie fuerunt Gorbrith et Cassoc, nee non et sor-
oris sue pariter Sule, super quibus Mouricus rex graphium
conscriptionis tenuit super manum Jacob abbatis cathedre
Sancti Cadoci, ut ipse liberas et quietas faceret ab omni
censu, et ab omni calumpnia, et omnibus servitiis, excepto
famulitio Sancti Cadoci. Quapropter post hec dedit Jacob
equum Mourico regi, at ille largitus est ilium Guodgeu filio
Brocmaili. Hujus rei testes sunt Jacob, abbas ; Rumceneu ;
Catthig ; et patres eorum Commogoc, Conmil, Guorgeneu ;
Beuonoc ; Catgen ; Heargin ; Crasgell ; Cutegurn , Guit-
lon ; Sulien, clerici. De laicis, Mouricus super ipsum so-
lum, et super filios suos a generatione in generationem ;
Guedgan films Brocmail ; Guallunir ; Guorcinnim ; Guor-
bes; Morceneo; Morhoen. Hi sunt testes super hoc pactum,
ut non solvetur in eternum. Dein Mouricus rex confir-
94 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
mavit lianc donationem super altare Sancti Cadoci coram
senioribus suis. Quicunque conservaverit, benedictus crit,
et qui dissolvent maledictus erit a Deo.
65. De Obcecatione Malguni Regis.
Malgonus magnus, rex Brittonum erat, qui imperavit toti
Brittannie, de qua persolvebatur ei annuatim centum vaccas
ex singulis pagis, cum totidem vitulis, cujuscumque generis
elegissent ; videlicet sive mares, sive femines, non sponte
sed vi ; venerunt itaque exactores regis Mailconi ad colli-
gendum tributum usque Gunliuc, et rapuerunt Abalcem
nomine, puellam speciocissimam, filiam Guiragon prefect!
Sancti Cadoci, secumque tulerunt. Super quam factionem,
consanguinei puelle indignati, caballos suos ascenderunt
cornibusque insonuerunt. Quod audientes omnes viri bella-
tores ejusdem civitatis, surrexerunt persequentes eos, percus-
seruntque trecentes viros, excepto uno, qui nunciavit regi
que facta fuerant Quo audito, rex bile furie debacans,
cum magno exercitu causa ulciscendi se, pervenit ad locum,
qui vocatur Crucglas. Perrexit etiam Sanctus Cadocus
cum omnibus habitatoribus * Gunliuc, regi obviam, et des-
cendit in loco, ubi est fons Brutrov, jejunavitque cum uni-
versis sibi comitantibus. Misit ergo Mailconus nuntium
suum Argantbad ad beatum virum, precipiens ut redderet
precium virorum interfectorum apud Riucarn ; qui se pretia
nullatenus penditurum respondit, nisi vero Dei et hominum
juditio. Rex2 autem judicium respuit ; ilia vero nocte re-
velatum est ab angelo sancto viro Moucano, quatinus regem
a sua crudelitate prohiberet. Qui quoque angelico eidem
manifestata oraculo regi declaravit.
Ille nempe monita sua funditus sprevit. Diliculo quippe
rex castra movit ad exercendam stragem illicoque obcecatus
est, nesciebatque ergo gressum dirigerit; delegavit itaque
nuntios, Maucanum scilicet Argantbad, ad Sanctum Cado-
cum, insinuans ei quod sibi accidisset, obnixiusque postulavit
1 HaMtantilus,T. 2 Vero, T.
VITA SANCTI CADOCI. 05
quo se visitare dignaretur, amissumque lumen ei restitueret.
Vir antem Domini renuit donee veniret ad confessionem.
Venit ergo rex ad eum concedens sibi cuncta que ab eo
popociscet ; beatus igitur Cadocus permittus a rege, petiit
refugium sibi dari in civitate Gundliauc a se et a sua pos-
teritate, simile refugio Sancti David in Rosina valle. De-
ditque beato Cadoco refugium uti flagitabat, et exhibuit illi
equum et gladium quo cingebatur, nee non aurea vesti-
menta, quibus induebatur, atque gubernatorem sibi ilium
suscepit ; pepigit namque rex Mailconus cum Sancto Cadoco
et ejus successoribus pactum sempiternum, dicens, "Siquisex
genere meo hoc fregerit, maledictus erit; omnis qui residuus
fuerit ex mea progenie, veluti ultimo fratri auxiliabitur
genti tue de Gunliauc." Benedixit tandem rex Mailconus
cum suis optimatibus, et beatus Cadocus, cum clericis ipsius
omnes qui custodierint hanc pactionem, et e converse, cunc-
tos qui non servaverint, unanimiter maledixerunt.
Vir itaque Dei indixit regi traditionem suam, hoc est
trecentum quinquaginta vaccas pretium uniuscuj usque opti-
matis ex progenie sua. "Quodcuncque comparaverit quisquam
ex stirpe mea de Gundliauc a rege sibi in hereditatem sempi-
ternam, sit illi sine ullo censu. Quicunque vero emerit quid
ex mea prosapia in regione Glewisicg, extra terminos Gun
liauc, sit sibi jus hereditarium perpetuum, reddetur tamen
precium et census." Rex autem indicavit alterutrum beato
viro suum pignus. "Qui perimerit quemque ex genere meo
terra ejus parentibus interfecti sine ullo censu tribuatur
preciumque ejus, natalibus illius reddatur. Advenam qui
fugerit ad refugium Gunliauc, siquis percusserit, reddit cen
tum vaccas secundum judicium ; si vero negaverit, tribuat
jusjurandum sexaginta virorum."
Sanctus quoque Cadocus tradidit spacium refugii septem
annos, et septem menses septemque dies, atque noctis unius
hospicium in domum uniuscujusque viri per totum pagum,
et postea dimittatur de refugio Gundliuc ad quodcunque
voluerit aliud presidium. Sanctus iterum Cadocus contes-
tatus est, dicens, "Siquis ex progenie mea comprehensus
96 VITA SANCTI CADOCI.
fuerit absque consensu ducis generis sui, dimittat eum illesum
cum sua substantia; si autem ex consensu ducis compre-
henditur, in custodia teneatur, donee ipse eum solvent;
nullum etiam tributum a mea prosapia regi reddatur, ex-
cepta collatione pecorum post septem annorum revolutionem ;
et reservet sibi dux tertiam partem, duas autem regi con-
tribuat. Si quis vero leserit ducem generationis de Gun-
dliauc, sive sanguinem ipsius affiiderit, commissum non
reddatur nisi de terra et auro et animalibus ; et quicunque
precium mortis cujusque de genere meo, regi reddiderit, si-
mili modo si percussus fuerit, gratia regem1 reddatur. Viri
namque mei generis, si lesi fuerint, aut interfecti, reddatur
vacca cum ove juxta precium anime; si autem ex progenie
Brittonum quisque peremtus fuerit in refugio Gundliuuc,
reddatur precium anime ejus, ut in sua terra; si quidem
exul quis fuerit de stirpe Guunliuuc eodem modo reddatur.
Sanctus quidem Cadocus mandavit consanguineis suis, "Si
dux vir fregerit hoc pacti testamentum, abjicite eum, et al-
terum ex genere suo eligite, qui custodierit. Si non potu-
erit inveniri, eligite ex alieno genere."
66. De Testibus Sancti Cadoci.
Testes de conventione refugii, quam beatus Cadocus fecit
cum rege Rein, avunculo suo, filio Brachani avi ipsius, qui
in vita viri Dei prescribitur, hie sunt. De clericis, David,
Cheneder, Eliud, Iltut, Maidoc, Cannou; de laicis testes
Gober, Meliat, Cheleni, Chunleith,2 Chumurth,3 Aman;
item de genere Cadoci testes, Cinmur, Etelic, Luiper, Seru,
Poul.4
1 Pro regi, forte. a Cunletk, T. 3 Chumerth deest, T. 4 Paul, T.
IV.
Kite inntti Ciraratoti1
INCIPIT VITA SANCTI CARANTOCI3 CONFESSORIS, XVII. KAL. JUNII.
est hec solempnitas omnibus hominibus in
Deo credentibus; quando assumptus est in celum beatus
Carantocus, Ceretici films, qui ex chere ircinis parentibus
altus est secundum dignitatem seculi ; tarn facile est gene-
rationem illius deducere ad Mariam, matrem Domini, quo
nemo inter reges Britannorum alcior habetur. Sed ad regna
terrestria tendere noluit ; ab annis pueritie habuit innocen-
tiam ; et postea abiit in speluncam Edilu, legitque lectiones
canonicas de nova et veteri lege. Deinde perrexit ad
Hiberniam insulam, Patricio antecedente ; isti autem con-
venerunt unatim, et collocati fuerunt unatim : ut dicitur,
" Ecce quam bonum et. q. t. h. f. in unum." Consilium au
tem fecerunt inter se quomodo agerunt, et dixerunt ut
separarentur, unus ad sinistram, et alter ad dexteram, quia
multi clerici ambulabant cum illis, ullus unusquisque pari-
ter pretium quod requireret sanitatem. Et perexit Caran
tocus ad dexteram partem, Patricius autem ad sinistram, et
dixerunt ut convenient una vice in anno.
In istis temporibus Scotti superaverunt Brittanniam;
nomina ducum quorum Briscus, Thuthaius, Machleius,
Anpachus, XXX annis; annum nativitatis Sancti David,
1 Ex. Lib. Cott. Brit. Mus. VESPASIAN, A. xiv. 2Wallice Camnog,
98 VITA SANCTI CARANTOCI.
filii Sant, bone Carantocus susceptus est in Hibernia. Non
est enim difficilis Deo ducere servos ; angelus Domini com-
mittabatur secum in figuram columbe, et rnutavit nomen
ejus in lingua eorum, CERNATH. Et exaltate sunt ecclesie,
et civitates sub nomine ejus in regione Legen ; et quocun-
que esset virtutes et prodigia faciebat innumcrabilia ex nu-
tu Dei ; Sanavit multa hominum mill ^ variis doloribus
impleta, cecos, claudos, lunaticos, atque his similia. Quern
Deus summis sedibus ditavit, et mercedibus, regnaturum
felicibus celorum cum principibus. Beati Cernachi opera
leguntur in Hibernia, per totam patriam, sicut leguntur in
Roma beati Petri apostoli prodigia, perfectaque vita equal is
apostolis ; ut legitur " Ite, docete omnes gentes ;" et gratia
quse data est apostolis, in illo impleta est. "Quecunque
solveritis super terram, erint soluta et in celis ; et quecun-
que alligaveritis super terram erint alligata et in celis."
Talis itaque est timendus, et adorandus qui potens est in
excelso throno ex bono opere, et potens salvare corpora in
terris ab omnibus languoribus, fortis fuit et fidelis, in pace
ministrabilis ; mirum namque in modum consimilis fuit
angelis ; sub presentia solis fortis miles, mirabilis, spiritualis
summus abbas, longanimus preceptor fidelitatis, justitia nun-
cians omnibus justis, preco regni celestis. Vixit per annos
multos incredulus peccatorum, crimina dimisit ut merentur
omnes sedem in summo poli, gratias Deo referens ; preces-
que per dies singulos atque noctes innumeras fundebat fer-
ventississimas, sanctas, atque saluberrimas. Hie est carus
Cernacus adjutus, quippe celitus, ac ditatus divinitus Dei
magnis muneribus, cui nullus interitus prefecit hominibus.
Invenit vero gratiam labore magno quesitam, piam atque
purissimam signatam per parabolam lucerne lucidissime,
cum pastor ecclesie candelabra mirifice aurea continebat
ecclsiastica. O pastorem plenissimum septem optimum,
sanctum et pudicissimum, Petri opera sequentem in sede
apostolica, Paulumque in doctrina, deducens multas regi-
ones ad fidem. Sanctus Carantocus deduxit regiones Hiber-
nensium invitos cetibus magorum, cum regibus lionoratus.
VITA SANCTI CARANTOCI. 99
Et postea venit iterum ad suam propriam regionem
Kerediciaun, ad suam speluncam cum clericis multis, et ibi
multas virtutes fecit quas enumerare aliquis non potest.
Et declit ei Christus altare honorificabile cle excelso, cujus
nemo intelligebat colorem ; et postea ad Sabrinam amnem
venit, lit navigarit, et misit altare in mare ; quod et prece-
debat ubi Deus volebat ilium venire. In istis temporibus,
Cato et Arthur regnabant in ista patria, habitantes in Din-
drarthou ; et venit Arthur circuiens ut inveniret serpentem
validissimum, ingentem, terribilem qui vastaverat in duode-
cem partes agri Carrum ; et venit Carantocus, et salutavit
Arthurum, qui gaudens, accepit benedictionem ab illo. Et
interrogavit Carantocus Arthurum, utrum audisset ubi ap-
plicuisset altare suum ; et Arthur respondit, " Si habuero
precium, nuntiabo tibi ;" ?t ille dixit. "Quid peractum pos-
tulas ;" ille respondit " Ut deducas serpentem, qui in prope
est tibi, si servus Dei es, ut videamus." Tune beatus Ca
rantocus perexit, et oravit ad Domin^m ; et illico venit ser-
pens cum sonatu magno, quasi vitulus ad matrem currens.
Inclinavitque caput suum autem servum Dei quasi servus
obediens domino suo humili cordi ; et levis oculis. Et de-
dit stolam suam circa collum ejus, et deduxit ilium quasi
agnum, nee exaltavit pennas neque ungulas ; et erat collum
ipsius quasi collum tauri septem annorum quod vix poterat
stola circuire. Deinde perexerunt una ad arcem, et saluta-
verunt Catonem; et bene suscepti sunt ab eo. Et duxit
ilium serpentem in media aula ut cibaret ilium coram po-
pulo et conati sunt occidere ilium. Non reliquit eum occi-
di, quia dixit quod ex verbo Dei venisset ut deleret pec-
catores, qui in Carrum erant. Et ut ostenderet virtutem
Dei per ilium ; et postea perexit extra portam arcis, et
Carantocus dissolvit ilium, imperavit illi ut discedens, nemi-
ni noceret, nee reverteretur amplius; et exibit, hesitque
annon, sicut dixit ordinatio Dei.
Et acceptum altare quod cogitaveret Arthur in mensam
facere, sed quotquot apponebatur super illam, jactabatur in
longinquo. Et postulavit Rex ab illo ut reciperet Carrum
100 VITA SANCTI CARANTOCI.
in sempiterno Graphyo ; et postea edificavit ecclesiam ibi.
Postea venit vox illi de celo ut mitteret altare in mare ; dein
misit Catonem, Arthuram ut interrogarent de altari, et
nunciatum est illis quod in ostium Guellit appulerat; et
dixit Rex, "Iterum date illi duodecim partes agri, ubi altare
inventum esset." Postea venit Carantocus, et edificavit
ibi ecclesiam, et vocata est civitas Carrou. Venit autem
vox illi de celo, et dixit ut in exilium pergeret, et relinque-
ret familiam suam. Hie innumeri sepulti sunt in istam ci-
vitatem, nee nomina illorum nominantur; et ille solus
perexit ad Hiberniam insulam, et sepultus est XVII kal.
Junii, in civitate sua pseclara, et optima pre omnibus civi-
tatibus suis, que vocatur civitas Chernacli. Et migravit in
pace, et pacem reliquit, et pacem invenit, ut legitur, "Beati
pacifici, quonam filii Dei vocabuntur." Et iterum propheta
dicit, " Preciosa in conspectu Domini, mors sanctorum
ejus." Memor fuit quod carnalis hujus mundi substantia,
fragilis est, omnia quamvis modo shit pulchra tamen corrup-
tibilia. Tubulo valcle extitit contraxius, multos homines
lucratus. "O vere vita beata, O Dei digna donorum. O
vere vir beate, in quo dolus non fuit, neminem judicans,
neminem contempnens, nulli malum pro malo reddens, sepe
flebat pro blasphemantibus, qui manet sine macula cum
gaudio et gloria inter angelorum agmina in secula seculo-
rum. Amen.
Quodam tempore fuit vir, nomine Keredic, rex erat, et
hie vir habuit multos filios, quorum unus erat Carantocus
nomine, films Keredic, mab Cuneda, mab Ethern, m. Patera
pes Rudauc, m. Tacit, mab Kein, m. Guorchein, m. Doli, m.
Gurdoli, m. Domn, m. Guordomn, m. Amguoloid, m. Am-
guerit, m. Omnid, m. Dubunn, m. Britguenin, m. Eugen, m.
Avallach, m. Canalech, m. Beli, et Anna mater ejus, quam
dicunt esse consobrinam Marie virginis.
Cuneda igitur filios, habuit. Tipipaun primogenitus, qui
mortuus fuit regione, manu Gudodin, et non venit hue, pa
ter suus Cuneda et fratres sui. Sed Mertaun filius ejus
di visit possessiones patris sui inter fratres suos. Secundus
VITA SANCTI CARANTOCI. 101
Ismael, tertius Kumaun, quartus Dunaun, quintus Keredic,
sextus Abalach, septimus Enmaun, octavus Dogmaili,
nonus Etery. Hie est terminus eorum, a flumine quod vo-
catur Dobyr Duis, usque ad aliud flumen quod vocatur
Guoun. Et tenuerunt plurimas regiones in occidental!
Britannie. Keredic autem tenuit Kerediciaun, et ab illo
nuncupata est. Et postquam tenuerat, venerunt Scotti et
pugnaverunt cum eis, et occupaverunt omnes regiones.
Keredic autem senex erat; et dixerunt ei seniores, "Senex
es, domine, tu non potes dimicare, oportet nos unum ordi-
nare Regem de filiis tuis." "Quis est senior?" Dixerunt "Ka-
rantoc." " Oportet ilium esse regem." Karantoc autem plus
diligebat regem celestem terreno regno, et domini sui vo-
luntatem quam humanam favorem. Et ille postquam au-
divit, fugam iniit, ne invenirent eum. Prius extunc melio-
rem baculum cum sarculo a quodam paupere; et venit in
locum qui dicitur Guerit Carantauc, et mansit ibi per aliquod
tempus, et voluit illic orare Deum ; et quando esset, et cum
operari voluisset, venit columba traxit omne quod radebat
de baculo cotidie. Et ille dixit. " Domine, quo trahit?" At-
que pepigit in mente, " Vadam, ut videbo quo trahit hoc." Et
surrexit quo ibat per silvam, per saltum. Venit columba,
descendit in loco ubi est ecclesia hodie, et dimisit illic. Et
ille vidit et dixit, "Hie oportet me esse, quia Deus voluit."
Et mansit per aliquod spatium, ubi devotas Deo persolvit
gratias.
V.
Mm iunt
YMA YTREITPIIR O ACH DEWI, AC O DALYM OE VUCHED.1
vab Sant, vab Kredic, vab Kuneda, vab Edyrn, vab
Padarn Beisrud, vab Deil, ab Gordeil, vab Dwfyn, vab
Gordwfyn, vab Amgnod, vab Amweryc, vab Omyt, vab
Peru, vab Dublin, vab Ongen, vab Avallach vab Eugen, vab
Eirdolen, vab chwaer Veir Wyry, mam lessu Grist.
Keredic vrenhin a wledychawd dalym o vlenyded, ac oe
enw ef y kavas Keredygyawn y henw ; a vab a vu idaw, ac
enw y mab oed Sant ; ac y hwnnw yd ymdangosses angel
yn y hun, a dywedut wrthaw, " Vory,"2 heb ef, " ti ey3 y
hely, a thi ageffi tri dyvot geyr Haw4 avon Deivi, nyt amgen
Karw a Gleisiat, a Heit o wenyn y mywn prenn uch penn
yr avon, yn y He a elwir Henllan yr awr hon ; dyro dylyer
y tir y vab ny anet etto, efo breuvyd deu le hyt dyd brawt
y rei adywespwyt uchot Linhenllan a Liconiuancan."6
O dyna y doeth Padric hyt yg Glyn Rosyn, ac ymedylawd
dwyn yno y vuched , ac angel adoetli att Badric, ac ady-
wawt wrthaw, "Adaw di," heb ef, " y lie hwn y vab ny anet
etto." Sef aoruc7 llidiaw a dywedut, "Paham y tremyg-
awd yr Arglwydd y was, a vu yr yn vab yn gwassanaethu
idaw drwy ofyn a charyat, y ethol o honaw ynteu yr awr
1 O law ysgrif yn y Llyfrfa Brydeiniaidd, a nodir TITUS D. xxii. wedi ei chymaru ag
ysgrif yng Ngholeg yr lesu yn Rhydychen, a ddynodir yma a'r llythyren R.
2 A vory, II. 3 Aey, R. * Qer i(in^ R. 5 ytir y fjadw y vab, R.
6 Licomanam, R. 7 Aoruc Padric, R.
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BUCHEDD DEWI SANT. 103
hon mab ny anet, ac ny enir hyt ympen degmlyned ar
hugeint." Ac ymbarattoi aoruc Padric yndaw e hun at adaw
y lie hwnnw yn Arglwyd Grist ; a'r Arglwydd eiseoes agai-
rei Badric yn vawr, ac aimones agel attaw oe duhudaw ; a'r
agel adywawt wrthaw, •" Padric byd lawen, yr arglwyd a'm
anuones i attat ti y dangos ytt ynys Iwerdon o'r eistedua
yssyd Glyn Rosyn, (ac elwir yr awr hon Eistedua Padric)
kanys ti a vydu ebostol yn yr ynys a wely di ; a thi adio-
defy lawer uno yc karyat1 Duw, a Duw a vyd ygyd athi,
bethbynnoc awnelych." Ac yna yllonydwyt medwl Padric,
ac ygedeweis Padric y Dewi y lie hwnnw, a pharottoi Hog2
yn y borthloed idaw ; a chyuodi o varw gwr a gladassit yno
ar y morua yr ys pymthec mlyned, Crucliier oed y enw. A
myned aoruc Padric y Iwerdon a'r gwr hwnnw ygyt ac ef,
a hwnnw gwedi hynny a vu esgob.
Ac yn pen y deg mlyned ar hugeint gwedy hynny, val yd
oed y brenhin a elwyt Sant yn kerdet ehun, nachaf leian
yn kyuaruot ac ef ; sef aoruc ynteu ymauael a hi, a dwyn
treis arnei; a'r lleian agafas beichogi; enw y lleian oed
Nonn, a mab a anet idi ; a Dauyd a roet yn enw arnaw ; a
gwr ny bu idihi na chynt na gwedy, diweir oed hi o uedwl
a gweithret.
Cyntaf 3 gwyrth a wnaeth Dewi, or pan gafas hi veichiogi;
ny mynnawd hi vwyt namyn bara a dwfyr yn y hoes, ac ny
lewes Dewi vwyt namyn bara a dwfyr. Eil gwyrth a
wnaeth Dewi; ae vam yn mynet yr eglwys y wrandaw4
pregeth Gildas5 Sant. Gildas a dechreuawd pregethu, ac
nys gallei, ac yna y dywawt Gildas, " Ewch oil o'r eglwys
allan," heb ef, ac elchwyl profi pregethu aoruc, ac nys gallei;
ac yna ygovynnawd Gildas, A oed neb yn yr eglwys onyt
efo ehun. " Ydwyf i yma," heb y lleian, " rhwng y dor a'r
paret." "Dos di," heb y Sant, "odieithr yr eglwys, ac arch
y plwyf oil dyuot ymywn." A phob un a doeth y le y eisted
val y buassei; ac yna pregethu aoruc y Sant yn eglur, ac yn
1 Ogaryat, R. 2 Llong, R. 3 Kyntaf, II. 4 Warandaw, R.
5 Yyann Gildas, R.
104 BUCHEDD DEWI SANT.
uchel. Yna y gouynnawd y plwyf idaw, " Paham na elleist
di pregethu yn ni gynneu, a ninneu yn llawen yn damunaw
dy wrandaw di." "Gelwch," heb y Sant, "y lleian ymywn
a yrreis i gynneu o'r eglwys." Heb y Nonn, " Llyma vyvi."
Heb y Gildas yna, " Y mab yssyd1 yg croth y lleian lion
yssyd vwy y vedyant, ae rat, ae urdas no myui, kanys idaw
ef ehun y rodes Duw breint a phenriaduryaeth lioll seint
Kyinry yndragwydawl, kyn dyd brawd a gwedy. Ac am
hynny," heb ef, "nyt oes ford y mi y drigyaw ymma hwy, o
achos mab y lleian racko yr hwnn a rodes Duw idaw pen-
naduryaetli ar bawb o'r enys2 honn ; a reit yw i mi," heb ef,
"vynet y ynys arall, a gadaw y'r mab hwnn yr ynys hon."
Gwyrth arall a wnaeth Dewi yn yr awr y ganet ef. Ef a
doeth taraneu a mellt a charreg a oed gyferbyn a phenn
Nonn, a holies ynyvu yn deu banner, ac y neidyawd y neill
banner idi dros ben y lleian hyt is ythroet pan ettoed hi yn
esgor. Gwyrth arall3 awnayth Dewi pan vedydwyd. Ef a
ymdangosses fynnawn o'r dayar lie ny buassei fynnawn
eiryoet ; a dall a oed yn dala Dewi wrth vedyd, a gafas yna
y olwc ; ac yna y dall a wybu vot y mab yd oed yn y dala
wrth vedyd yn gyflawn o rat Duw; a chymryt y dwfyr
bedyd aoruc a golchu y wyneb ac ef. Ac o'r awr y ganet
dall wynebclawr oed, ac yna y olwc a gafas ; a chwbyl o'r
aberthynei arnei, sef a wnaeth pawb yna moli Duw val y
dylyeint.
Y lie4 y dysgwyt Dewi undaw, a el wit Vetus Rubus, sef
yw hynny yngkymraec, Yr Henllwyn ; yno y disgwyt idaw
ef seilim yr holl vlwyddyn ae llithion a'r offerenneu; yno y
gweles y gytdisgyblon ef colomen a gyluin eur idi yndisgu
Dewi, ac yn gwareu yn y gylch. Odyna ydaeth Dewi hit
att athro a elwit Paulinus, a disgybyl oed hwnnw y escob
sant a oed yn Ruvein ; a hwnnw a dysgawd Dewi yn y vu5
athro. Ac yna y damchweinawd colli o athro Dewi y lygeit,
o dra gormod dolur yn y lygeit. A galw aoruc yr athro
atto y holl disgyblon ol yn ol y geisiaw y ganthunt ganhor-
1 Ysy, R. 3 Ynys, R. 3 Arall aoruc, R. 4 Yn y lie, R. 5 Hynny vu, R.
BUCHEDD DEWI SANT. 105
thwy am y legeit ; ac nyt yttoed yr un yn y allel idaw ; ac
yn diwethaf oil galw Dewi aoruc, "Dauyd," heb yr athro,
"edrycli fy llygeit, ymaent ympoeni." " Arglwyd athro," heb
Dewi, "nac arch y mi edrych dy lygeit ; yr ys deg mlyned
y deuthum i attat ti y dysgu, nyt edrycheis etto yth wyneb."1
Sef aoruc yr athro yna medylyaw, a ryuedu y kewilyd a
dywawt y mab,2 " Kanys velly y mae," heb ef wrth y mab,
" dyro dy law ar vy wyneb i, a bendicka ve llygeit, a mi
avydaf holl iach." A phan rodes Dauyd y law ar y lygeit
ef ybuant holl iach. Ac yna bendigawd Paulinus Dauyd o
bop bendith a geffit yn ysgrifennedic yn y dedyf hen ac yn
newid.
Yna y doeth agel at Paulinus a dywedut vrthaw ual
hyn, " Amser," heb ef, " yw y Dauyd sant vynet odyma y
wneuthir y pethau yssyd dyghetuen y gan Duw idaw eu
gwneuthur."3 Odyna y doeth4 Dewi hyt yg Glastynbri, ac
yno yd adeilawd ef eglwys. Dewi a doeth yr lie yd oed
dwfyr yn llawn o wenwyn, ac ae bendigawd, ac a wnaeth y
dwfyr hwnnw yn dwym yn hyt dydbrawt, a hwnnw a elwir
Yr Enneint Twymyn. Odyna y doeth Dewi hyt yg Kowlan,
a hyt yn Repecwn ; odyna ydoeth y Collan, a Glasgwm ;
odyna yd adeilawd Llanllierii yg glan Haft-en; odyna y rodes
gwaret y Bebrawc, brenin Erging, a oed yn dall; odyna
adeilawd eglwys yg Gwent, yn y lie a elwir Raclan ; odyna
yd adeilawd eglwys yn y lie a elwir Llangyuelach yg Gwyr.
Deu sant a oeddynt5 yg Kitweli a el wit Boducat, a Nail-
trim, a ymrodassant yn disgyblon y Dewi.6 Odyna yd ym-
choelawd Dewi hyt y lie a elwit Vetus Rubus, ac yno yd
oed esgob a elwit Goeslan, a hwnnw a oed vrawt fyd y
Dewi ; a Dewi a dywawt wrthaw, "Agel yr Arglwyd y dy-
wawt y mi mae o vreid y da vn o gant o'r lie hwn y deyrnas
nef ; ac y dangosses y mi lie arall, ac o'r lie hwnnw nyt a
neb y uffern, or a vo fyd da a chret gantaw ; ac or rei a
glader ym mynwent y lie hwnnw heuyt nyt a neb y uffern."
1 Wyneb oil, R. 2 A ryuedu y mab a dywedut, II. 3 1 wanewtkyr, R.
4 Deuthf R. 5 A oed, R. 6 ^daw, R.
106 BUCHEDD DEWI SANT.
A dydgweith y doeth Dauyd ae disgyblon, nyt amgen,
Aedan, ac Eluid, ac Ysmael, a llawer y gyt ac wynt yr lie1
a vanagassei Duw udunt ; nyt amgen yn Glyn2 Rosyn, Hod-
nant y gelwir y lie hwnnw. Kyntaf y lie y dan yr awyr
y kynneuassant wy tan vu yno ; a phan gynneuasant wy y
tan yno y bore glas y kyuodes mwc ac y kylchynnawd y
mwc hwnnw yr ynys honno oil a llawer o Iwerddon; a
hynny or bore glas hyt bryt gosber ; ac yna yd argamm
ty wyssawc a elwit Boya, ac yscottoed y mwc hwnnw ; ac o
lit eisted aoruc mywn creic uchel o'r bore hyt bryt gosber,
heb vwyt a heb diawt. Ae wreic a vedrawd arnaw yno, ac
a ovynnawd idaw, " Pah am na mynnei na bwyt na diawt."
"Dioer" heb ef "trist wyf a llidiawc, mwc a welais hediw
yn kyuodi o Hodnant ; ac yn kylchynnu llawer o dinassoed;
y gwr," heb ef, " a gynneuawd y tan hwnnw, y vedyant ef,
a gerda y ford y kerdawd y mwc." Heb y wreic wrthaw,
" Yr wyt yn ynuyt, kyuod yveny," heb hi, "a chymer dy wyr3
y gyt athi, a Had y neb y gynuyawd y tan hwnnw ar dy dir
di heb dy gennat."4 Ac yna y doeth Boya, a esgwiereit y
gyt ac ef, ar vedwl Had Dewi ae disgyblon : a phan doe-
thant parth ar lie yd oed Dewi, ydegwydassant yn y cryt
hyt na ellynt wy wneuttmr dim drwc5 y Dewi, nac y dis
gyblon, onyt eu gwattwar a dywedit geirieu tremegedic yn
eu kyueir, ac ymchoelut adref. Ac val y bydynt uelly,
nachaf wreic Boya yn kyuaruot ac wynt, ac yn dywedut
wrthunt, " Ynbugelyd ni a dywedassant y mi ryuarw yn
holl ysgryb,6 nyt amgen yn gwarthec a'n ychen, a'n greoed,
a'n dyueit, ac eu bot holl yn veirw, ae llygeit yn agoret, ac
yn kwnaw ac vdaw a griduan ; aoruc Boya ae wreic au dy-
Iwyth a dywedut, " Y sant," heb wynt, " y buam ni yn y
wattwaru a wnayth hyn," sef y kawsant wy yn eu kyngor
gwediaw y sant a cheissaw y vod ef ay dylwyth. Ac yna
y rodes Boya yn dragywdawl Hodnant y Dewi. Ac ym
choelut adref aoruc Boya ae dylwyth ygyt ac ef ; a phan
1 Hyt y lit heddiw, heb ef, 11. 2 Hyt y Glyn, R. 3 Weisson, R. 4 Gannyat, R.
5 Drwc yn y lyd, R. 6 Ysgrylyl, R.
BUCHEDD DEWI SANT. 107
doethant adref wynt agawssant eu haniueilet yn vuw, ac yn
iach. Ac yna y dywawt gwreic Boya wrth y llaw-voryn-
nion, " Ewch," heb hi, "hyt yr auon yssyd geyr Haw y sant,
a diosgwch ych dillat, ac yn noeth dywedwch wrthunt
geireu aniweir, kywilydyus." Holl disgyblon Dewi a vu an-
hawd ganthynt diodef y kywilyd hwnnw, ac a dywedassant
wrth Dewi, "Fown odymma ymeith," heb wynt, "ni allwn
ni diodef hyn, nac edrych ar y gwraged drwc." Ac yna y dy
wawt y sant, "Ponyt gwell ynni peri idunt wy adaw y lie
hwn ynni." Ac yna Dewi ae disgyblon a dyrwestassant y
nos honno hyt trannoeth. Trannoeth y dywawt gwreic
Boya wyrth y llysuerch. " Tydi vorwyn," heb hi, " kyuot
ac awn yn dwy y twyn Alun1 y geissyaw kneu." Heb y
vorwyn wrth y llysuam, "Parawt wyf i2 y mynet," A cher-
det a wnaethant hyt yg gwalawt y glyn, a phan doethant
yno eisted aoruc y llysuam a dywedut wrth y llysuerch,
" Dyro dy ben ym harffet, a mi ae dihaedaf,"3 heb hi4 Sef
aoruc y vorwyn da diweir warrodi y phen yn arffet y llys
uam ; sef aoruc y llysuam tynnu kyllell a Had pen y vorwyn
santes ; ac yn y gyuer y dygwydawd y gwaet yr llawr yd
ymdangos fynnawn, a llawer o dynnyon a gawssant yechyt
a gwaret yno, a hyt hediw y gelwir y fynnawn honno, Fyn
nawn Dunawd ; kanys Dunawd oed enw y vorwyn. Yna
y foes y llysuam drwc, ac ni wybu neb o'r byd hwn py ageu
ae due. A Boya a dechreuawd drycaruerthu ;5 a Dewi ae
disgyblon a lawenhassant. Yna y medylyawd Boya lad
Dauyd ae disgyblon; ac eissyoes sef y damweinyawd y bore
drannoeth dyuot y elyn hyt y twr yd oed Boya yndaw yn
kysgu. Gwedy kaifel y pirth yn agoret, a Had pen Boya yn
y wely, ac yn diannot y doeth tan o'r nef a llosgu yr holl
adeilyadeu hyt y llawr ; gwybydet pawb rylad o'r Arglwyd
Duw Boya a Satrapa y wreic o achos Dewi.
Odyna yr adelyawd Dewi yg glyn Hodnant, ac ny oed
yno dim dwfyr, onyt ychydic o dyfyr redegawc;6 ac yna y
1 Lyn A lun, R. 2 Wyfi, heb hi, R. 3 Dihoedafdi benn, R.
4 Heb hi, nyd yw yn R. 5 Dryc Arvaethu, R. 6 Rygedawc, T.
1 08 BUCHEDD DEWI SANT.
gwediawd Dewi ar yr Arglwyd, ac yn diannot y kyuodes
fynnawn eglur; ac yn oes Dewi yg glyn Hodnant y bu y
fynnawn honno yn llawn o win, val na bu arnaw yn y oes
ef eisseu gwin da ; llyna rod deilwng y gan Duw yr ryw wr
hwnnw. Yn ol hynny Gweslan esgob brawt fydd y Dewi, a
disgybl y Dewi a elwit Eliud ; yll deu a dyrwestauassant y
geissaw gan Duw fynhonneu o dwfyr croew, kanyt oed dim
yn y dinas o dwfyr, ac rac sychet yr amser. Ac yna y
kawssant y gan Duw dwy fynhawn ; ac a elwit hyt hediw
Fynhawn Gweslan, a Fynhawn Eliud. A'r crippled a'r
daillyon, ar cleiffyon a geffynt waret yn y dwy fynhawn
hynny.
Ac ym mysgc hynny yd oed Aedan sant yn eglwys ehun
yn dinas Gwerwin yn gwediaw, nyt amgen nos Pasc ehun,
nachaf agel1 yr Arglwyd yn dyuot attaw, ac yn dywedut
wrthaw, "Tydi wr da gwynvededic, pony wdost ti," heb ef,
" yr hyn yr ydys yn y darparu y Dauyd Sant dy athro di yg
glyn Rosyn." " Na wnn dioer," heb yr Aedan. Heb yr
agel, "Neur deryw y dri o dylwyth o'r uanachlawc gwneu-
thur y vrat, nyt amgen dodi gwenwyn ymywn bara; a'r
bara hwnnw a rodir idaw ef a vory o vwyta; Wrth hynny
anuon gennat hyt att dy athro, ac arch idaw ymoglyt y bara
a'r gwenwyn yndaw," Sef aoruc y sant tristau, ac wylaw.
" Arglwyd," heb ef, " Pa delw yd anuonafi gennat yno, mor
vyrr yw yr oet, ac emae nyt oes long yn barawt val y galler
y chaffel." "Anuon di," heb yr agel, "dy gytdysgybyl nyt
amgen Scuthyn hyt y traeth, a mi a baraf idaw vyned
drwod." Sef aoruc Scuthyn yn llawen gwneuthur yd oedit
yn erchi idaw. a dyuot parth ar traeth a cherdet yn y dwfyr
racdaw yn y doeth y dwfyr idaw hyt y linyeu, ac yn deissy-
fyt llyma aghenmul o'r mor yn y gymryt ar y gefyn, ac yn
myned ac ef drwod ynyvu2 a'r y tir aralL Ac erbyn han-
ner dyd Pasc yd oed ef gyt ae athro, ac val yd oed Dewi yn
dyuot o'r eglwys gwedu offerenneu, a gwedu pregetheu y
holl vrodyr, nachaf y gwelei y gennat y kyuaruot ac ef yn y
1 Angel, R. 2 Yn -vyw, R.
BUCHEDD DEWI SANT. 109
lie a elwir Bed Yscolan. Sef aorac Dewi yna bot yn llawen
vrthaw, a myned dwylaw mynwgyl idaw, ac am ovyn ac ef
am anssawd Aedan1 Sant y disgybyl.
A gwecly daruot yr gennat menegi idaw ef o gwbyl an-
sawd Aedan1 y dysgybyl, galw aoruc Scuthyn Dewi attaw
ar neilltu, a datkann idaw y gennadwri, a megys a'r mod y
dywedassei yr agel2 wrth Aedan1 Sant. Sef aoruc Dewi
yna tewi a medylyaw a thalw3 diolwch mawr y Duw a dy-
uot racdaw y'r manachlawc, a gwedy eisted o bawb yn y
mod y dylynt, gwedu daruod y gras, kyuodi aoruc y diagon
a wassanaythei ar Dauyd y wassanaethu a'r bara gwenwynic
gantaw. Sef aoruc Scuthyn kyuodi yuynu a dywedut,
"Tydi," heb ef, " ny wassanaythy di hediw, myui," heb y
Scuthyn, " a vyd gwassanaethwr hediw." Sef aoruc mynet
a eisted a sunnyaw arnaw yn vawr ; ef awydyat kared a oed
yn y vedwl." Ac yna y kymerth Dewi y bara gwenwynic
a'e rannu yn deiyr4 rann, a rodi vn y ast, a oed yn seuyll
allan o dieithir y drws ; a'r awr y llewes yr ast y bara y bu
oil marw, ac y syrthyawd y bleu oil yn enkit y trewit yr
amrant ar y Hall, a thorri y croen y amdanei, a syrthyaw y
holl berued y'r llawr. Sef aoruc yr holl vrodyr pan welsant
hynny synnyaw yn vawr arnant. Ac yd anuones Dewi yr
eil ran o'r bara y vran a oed yn gorwed ar y nyth y mywn
onen y freutur ar auon a oed y tu a'r deuheu ; a'r awr y
kymerth y vran y bara yn y gyluin, hi a syrthyawd o'r pren
yn varw y'r llawr. Y dryded ran o'r bara gwenwynic a
gymerth Dewi ehun, ac a'e bendigawd, ac a'e bwytaawd ;
sef a wnaeth yr holl vrodyr edrych arnaw, a ryuedu yn
vawr, ac ovynhau yn ormod am Dewi. Ac yna y mynegis
Dewi y damchwein y'r holl vrodyr, nyt amgen bot y twyll-
wyr yn keissyaw y wenwynaw ; ac a rodes yr holl vrodyr
eu melltith ar y gwyr hynny. Ac y gyt a hynny dodi5 ar y
Tat o'r nef ryth6 na chefFynt yn dragywydwl gyfran o
deyrnas gwlat7 nef.
2 Angel. 3 A dywedut. *Tur,R. 6Modi,R.
6 Hyt, E. 7 Nid y w Gifflad yn R.
110 BUCHEDD DEWI SANT.
Ac gwedy kadarnliau fyd a chrct yn yr ynys lion, holl
lauurwyr yr ynys1 a doetliant y gyt hyt yn dor sened Vrcui
a'r esgyb, a'r athrawon, a'r ofFeireit, ar brenhined, a'r tywys-
sogyon, a'r ierll, a'r barwneit, ar goreugwyr, a'r ysgwiereit,
a'r treuydwyr yn llwyr, a phawb heb allu rif arnadynt a ym-
gynnassant2 y sened Vreui, ac ammot a wnaethpwyt yn y
gynulleitua hoimo ; Pwy bynnac o'r sened o'r seint a bre-
getliei ual y clywi y niuer hwnnw yn gyfFredin gadu o
honunt yn bennadur ar seint ynys Brydein ; ac yna y dech-
reaud y seint pregethu bop ei wers, ac yna y dywawt vn
dros y kyfFredyn, " Y kanued dyn o'r gynnulleitua lion," heb
ef, "ni clyw dim o'r bregeth, yr ytywch yn llavyryaw y ouer
o gwbyl." Yna y dywawt pawb3 o'r seint wrth y gilyd,
"Nid oes neb o lionam a allo pregethu yr niuer hwn, A ni
a prouassam bob eil wers, a ni a welwn nat oes ras y neb o
lionam ni y bregethu y'r niuer hwn, edrychwch a medyl-
wch a wdawch chwi, a oes neb mor deilwng ac y gallo
pregethu yr niuer hwn ymma."
Yna yd attebawd Paulinus Sant, a hen escob sant oed ef :
"Myui," heb ef, "a wnn was ieuangk tec, aduyn, ac agel yn
wastat yn gedymdeith idaw, a mi atwaen," heb ef, "y vot ef
yn gymen, ac yn diweir, ac yn caru Duw yn vawr, ac a wn
y car Duw ynteu, ae vot yngyfyrannawc ar yr holl voesseu
da ; " Myui," heb ef, "a wn mae mwyaf dyn rat Duw ar-
naw yn yr ynys hon yw hwnnw, a Dauyd Sant y gelwir ; yn
gyntaf ef a dysgawd lien y berthynei idaw y dyscu ar y
dechreu, a gwedy hynny ef a dysgawd genyf inneu yr ys-
grythyr Ian, ac a vu athro, a 4 yn Ruuein a urdwyt yn arch-
esgob, a mi a weleis," heb ef, " agel yn dyuot attaw, ac yn
galw arnaw, ac yn erchi idaw vyned y wlat ygyuanhedu y
lie, a barthassei Duw ydaw, y teyrnas Demetica, sef yw
honno Mynyw yn y deheu. Ewch a gel wch5 hwnnw ef
yssyd yn caru Duw yn vawr, ac yn pregethu o Grist,6 a
miui a wn mae idaw ef y rodes Duw y gras." Ac yna yd
Ynys hony R. 2 Ymgunllassanl, R. 3 Pol un, R. 4 Ac, R.
5 Cfelwch attwch, R. 6 Y Grist, R.
BUCHEDD DEWI SANT. Ill
anuones y seint gennadeu hyt yndinas Rubi, y lie yd oed
Dauyd Sant, gwas Duw, yn gwediaw, ac yn disgu. A
phan gigleu ef neges y kennadeu, llymma yr atteb a rodes
ef udunt wy, nyt amgen, " Nyt a fi," heb ef, "yno, ys gwell
gennyf wediaw Duw ymma, ewch chwi," heb ef, "yn tag-
nefed Duw a'y garyat." Ac eilweith, y seint a wahawdas-
sant Dewi Sant, ac ynteu a rodes yr vn atteb a rodassei
A'r drydeth weith o gyttundeb yr holl seint l yd anuonet
at Dewi yn genadeu y deu sant bennaf a oed yno, nyt am
gen Deinyoel a Dubricius; a'r nos kyn no dyuot y kenna
deu att Dewi," Dewi a dywawt wrth y disgyblon, "Vy
meibion i, gwybydwch chwi y daw kennadeu ymma a vory ;
ewch y bysgotta y'r mor, a dygwch ymma dwfyr gloew o'r
fynnawn;" a'r kennadeu a doeth2 y dyd y dywawt Dewi
vrthunt ; ac ynteu a baratoes udunt wy eu kinyaw disgyblon
Dauyd, a rodassant ar y bord rac bron3 y seint pysgawt di-
goned, a dyfyr o'r fynnawn, a'r dwfyr a aeth yn win ar hynt.
A Dauyd a dywawt wrthynt "Byttewch vrodyr yn llawen."
Ac yna y dywawt y deu sant wrthaw. " Ni chymerwn ni
na bwyt na diawt," heb wy, "onyt edewy ditheu dyuot ygyt
a ninneu y'r sened vawr enryued,4 y lie y mae llu ny ellir
eu rifaw yth aros di, wrth hynny," heb wynt, " dabre y gyt
a ni yr Duw, ac yr bendith hynny o seint, ony mynny haedu
eu melltith." Heb y Dewi, " Yna mi a af," heb ef, "y'r caryat
Duw at y kedymdeithyon hynny, Eissyoes," heb ef, "yr
hyn a erchwch chwi y mi, nis gallaf myui," heb ef, "a ger-
daf ygyt a chwi hyt y sened, a chwitheu gwediwch y Tat
pennaf y ny rodho ef ganhorthwy yn ni druein ; a minneu
ach gwediaf chwitheu vrodyr, yny gymerwch chwitheu vwyt
a diawt o'r alussen a'r gardawt a rodet yn ni o'r nef."
A gwedy hynny kyvot aoruc Dewi ygyt a'r kennadeu y
sened Vreui ; a chyn eu dyuod* y'r gynulleitua,5 nachaf y
gwelynt yn dyuot yn eu herbyn gwreic6 gwedy marw y hun
1 A rodes trydydd weith o gytundeb yr fioll seint. z A aethant, R. 3 Ger Iron, It.
4 Amryved, R. 5 Gynulleitua honno} R. 6 Givreic wedwt R.
112 BUCHEDD DEWI SANT.
mab, a'r wreic yn gweidi, ac yn disgyryaw ; a phan weles
Dewi y wreic yn y drych1 y nerth hwnnw, kyssefyll aoruc,
a golwg2 y kynnadeu or blaen. Sef aoruc y wreic druan a
glwyssei glot Dewi syrthyaw ar dal y deulin, a mynegi idaw
bot y hun mab yn varw; sef a wnaeth Dewi yna trugarhau
wrthi, a throssi gyt a hi y'r lie yr oed y mab yn varw yn
ymyl auon a elwit Teiui. A dyuot y'r ty lie yr oed gorf y
mab3 a gwediaw yr Arglwyd, a dywedut, "Vy Arglwyd
Duw, i ti a digynneist o arfet y Tat o'r nef y'r byt hwn o'n
achaws ni bechaduryeit o'n prynu ni o safyn yr hen elyn,
trugarhaa Arglwyd wrth y wreic wedw hon, a dyro idi y
viw y hun mab yn y eneit drachefyn, val y mawrhaer dy enw
di yn yr holl daear." A phan daruu y Dewi y weddi, ky-
uodi yu holliach a wnaeth y mab, mal pet uei yn kyuodi o
gysgu ; a Dewi erbyn y law deheu yn y gyuodi, ac yny
rodi yn holliach id y vam.4 Sef aoruc y mab o'r lie y ky-
uodet o veirw kanlyn Dewi o vedwl a gweithret, ac ef a vu
drwy lawer o vlynyded ygyt a Dewi yn gwassanaethu Duw.
Odyna y kerdawd Dewi ygyt a chennadeu y seint hyt y
lie5 yr oedynt yn y aros, a phan doeth Dauyd yno, y ky-
uodes yr holl seint yn y erbyn, pan y gwelsant ef yn dyuot
a chyfarch gwell idaw, a syrthiaw ar dal eu glinyeu, ac
erchi idaw bregethu gan drychafel o honaw y ben bryn
uchel, y lie y buassei pregeth gynno hynny. Ac esgussaw
a wnaeth6 ef ar dalym o amser7 wrthynt wy, a dywedut na
beidei ef, ac na allei wneuthur yr hyn8 yd oedynt wy yn
y erchi idaw ; eissyoes ef a gymerth bendith y kyffredin, ac
a vuydhaawd udunt, ag wrthot aoruc ef esgynnu y ben y
bryn9 a dywedut na mynnei ef le y seuyll onyt ar y llawr
gwastat ; a dechreu pregethu o dyno aoruc Dewi o gyfreith
Grist a'r euegyl, a hynny megys lief corn eglur. Ac yn
ami we hynny o bop dyn yr pellaf yn gyn egluret ac yr nessaf;
ac yn gyn gyffredinet, ac y bydei yr heul i bawp pan vei
banner dyd, a hynny a vu ryued gan bawb. A phan yttoed
1 Gollwng, R. 2 Dney, R. a Nid y w A syrthyaw aoruc Dewi ar corff, a rodi y
eneu wrth eneu y mab, yn T. 4 Nid y w A phawb or a welsant hynny a voliassant Duwt
yn T. 5 Sened^ R s Aoruc, R. 7 Enkyt, R. 8 Y peth, R. 9 Brevi.
BUCHEDD DEWI SANT. 113
Dewi ar warthaf y llawr gwastat a dy wetpwyt uchot yn pre-
gethu, y kyuodes y llawr hwnnw megys mynyd uchel dan y
draet ef, a phawb o'r gynnulleitua honno yn edrych ar hyn-
ny ; yr hwn yssyd etto yn vryn uchel yn amlwc gan bawb,
ac yn wastattir o bop parth idaw ; a'r gwyrth a'r ryuedawt
hwnnw a wnaeth Duw y'r Dewi yn Llandewivreui.
Ac yna yn gyttun y rygthunt e hunein moli Dewi Sant,
a wnaethant,1 ac adef yn gyfun2 y vot yn dywyssawc ar seint
ynys Brydein, gan dywedut val hyn, "Megys y rodes Duw
pennadur yn y mor ar bop kenedyl o'r pysgawd, ac megys y
rodes Duw pennadur yn y daear ar y adar, velly rodes ef Dewi
yn bennadur ar y dynnyon yn y byt hwn; ac yn y mod y rodes
Duw Matheus yn Judea, a Lucas yn Alexandria, a Christ yg-
kaerussalem, a Phedyr yn Ruvein, a Martyn yn Freink, a Sam
pson yn Llydaw, y rodes y Dauyd Sant vot yn ynys Brydein."
Ac wrth hynny y gwnaethpwyt Dewi Sant yn bennadur, ac
yn dywyssawc ar seint ynys Prydein, am bregethu o honaw
yn y sened vawr honno y'r holl bobyl, yn yr honn ny allawd
neb pregethu namyn efo. Ar dyd hwnnw holl seint yr ynys
hon, a'r brenhiued oil a ostyngassant ar eu glinneu y adoli
y Dewi, ac a rodassant idaw vot y bennaf o seint ynys Bry
dein ; ac ef ae haedawd ; ar dyd hwnnw y rodet y Dewi y
noduaeu, ac am ymdiffyn y bob kyfryw dyn or a wnelei
drwc, ac affoei y nawddi'r Dewi. Hon yw nodua Dewi y
bawb or a vo yn dinas Rubi yn nawdd Dewi, ac y dan y am-
diffyn or byd, reit idaw kennat yw idaw vynet o Dyui hyt
at Deivi, ac or byd reit idaw vynet a vo mwy aet yn ragor
rac pob sant a brenhin a dyn yr enys3 hon. Nodua Dewi
yw palebynnac y bo tir kyssecredig y Dewi Sant, ac na
lyuasso na brenhin na tywysawc, nac escob, na sant rodi
nawd idaw ym blayn Dewi ; kanys efo a gafas nawd ym-
blayn pawb, ac nys cafas neb yn y blayn ef, kanys ef a
ossodes Duw a dynnyon yn bennaf or holl ynys ; ac yna yd
ysgymunawd hynny o seint o dirundeb y brenhined y neb a
dorrei nodua Dewi Sant.
1 Aorugant, R. ^ Duhun^ R. 3 Ytiyrynys, R.
114 BUCHEDD DEWI SANT.
Ac odyna val yd oed Dewi duw mawrth diwethaf Chwe-
frawr1 yn gwrandaw ar yr hysgolheigyon yn gwassanaethu
Duw, nachaf y clywei agel yn ymdiddan ac ef, ac yn dy-
wedut wrthaw val hynn, " Dauyd," heb yr agel, " beth a
geissest yr ys talym y gan dy Arglwyd Duw, y mae yn bar-
awt ytt pan y mynych." Sef aoruc ynteu yna drychafel y
wyneb y vynyd, a llawenliau, a dywedut val hyn, " Yr awr
hon Arglwyd y kymer dy was di yth dagneued." Sef aouruc
yr ysgolheigyon a oed yn gwarandaw y deu ymadrawd hynn,
sunnyaw arnunt yn vawr, a syrthyaw megis dynnyon meirw,
ac yn yng ar liynny nachaf y clywynt lef didan, ac arogleu
teckaf yn llenwi y dinas. Sef aoruc Dauyd yr eilweith dy
wedut yn uchel. " Arglwyd lessu Grist," heb ef, " kymer
vy eneit, ac naat vi a vo hwy y clrigyaw yn y drygeu hyn."
Ac yn ol hynny wynt a glywynt yr eilweith yr angel yn dy
wedut wrth Dewi, "Dauyd Sant, ymbarattoa y dyd kyntaf
o Vawrth, ef a daw dy Arglwyd di lessu Grist, a naw rad
nef ygyt ag ef, a decuet y dayar yth erbyn di, ac a eilw
ygyt a thi o'r rei a vynnyth di o ysgolheic, a lleyc, a gwirion
a phechadur, ieuangk a hen, mab a merch, gwr a gwreic, a
vessan a phuttein, Idew a Sarassin, a hynny adaw ygyt a
thydi. A'r brodyr kymmeint yr un, pan glywssant hynny,
drwy wylyaw, a chwynaw, ac udaw, ac ucheneidyaw, a dry-
chauassant eu lief ac y dywedassant, "Arglwyd Dewi Sant,"
heb wy,2 " kanhorthwa yn tristit ni." Ac yna y dywawt
Dewi wrthynt wy, gan eu didanu ae llawenhau ; " Vym
brodyr, bydwch wastat ac vn vedwl, a phabethbynnac a
welsawch ac a glyssawch y gennif fi, kedwch ef, a gorfen-
nwch y beth mwy."
O'r dyd hwnnw hyt yr wythuet dyd, nyt aeth Dewi o
eglwys i bregethu3 a gwediaw. Y chwedyl eissyoes yn oet
vn dyd aaeth drwy yr holl enys hon, ac Iwerdon gan yr
agel. Sef fal y dywedei yr agel, " Gwybydwch chwi pan
yw yn yr wythnos nessaf yssyd yn dyuot, yd a Dewi Sant,
ych arglwyd chwi, o'r byt hwn yma, att yr Arglwyd." Yna
1 0 vis Chwcfraivr, R. 2 ^id yw ^ ^ yn R a pregethu y lawb, R.
BUCHEDD DEWI SANT. 115
y gwelit ymgyfredec1 gan seint yr enys hon, a seint Iwerdon
o bob parth yn dyuot y ymwelet a Dewi Sant. O bwy yna
a allei diodef wylouein y seint, neu ucheneidieu y meudwyeit,
neu yr oifeiryeit a'r dysgyblon yn dywedut, " Pwy a'n dysc
ni?" kwyn y personyeit yn dywedut, " Pwy an kanhorthwya
ni?" anobeith y brenhined yn dywedut, "Pwy an hurda ni?
Pwy a vyt yn tat kyn drugaroket a Dewi? Pwy a wedia
drossom ni a'r yn Harglwyd ?" kwynuan y tlodyon, a'r clifon
yn udaw, y myneich a'r gwerydon, a'r rei priawt a'r penyt-
wyr, y gweissyon ieueingk a'r morynyon, y meibon a'r
merchet, a'r rei newyd eni ar eu bronneu yn gollwng eu
dagreu. Beth a draethafi onyt yr vn kwyn oed gan bawp,
y brenhined yn kwynaw eu brawt, yr hyneif yn kwynaw eu
mab, y meibyon yn kwynaw eu tat. Duw Sul y canawd
Dewi offeren, ac y pregethawt y'r bobyl ; ae gyfryw kynn
noc ef ny clwyspwyt, a gwedy ef byth ny clywyr. Nys
gwelas2 dyn eiryoet y sawl3 dynnyon yn vn lie a oed yno,4
A gwedy daruot y bregeth a'r offeren y rodes Dewi yn gy-
ffredyn y vendith y bawb ar a oed yna. A gwedy daruot
idaw rodi y vendith y bawb, y dywawt yr ymadrawd hwn,
" Arglwydi, vrodyr, a chwioryd, bydwch lawen, a chedwch
ych fyd a'ch cret, a gwnewch y pethau bychein a glywssach
ac a welsawch y gemryfi, a minneu a gerdaf y ford a aeth
yn tadeu ni idi ; ac yn iach y wch," heb y Dewi, " a phoet
grymus vo ywch vot ar y da ear, ac vyth bellach nyt ym-
welwn ni yn y byt hwn." Yna y clywit gawr gyfredin yn
kyuodi gan gwynau ac wylouein a dagreu, ac yn dywedut,
"Och na Iwngk y daear ni! Och na daw tan yn llosgi ni !
Och na daw y mor dros y tir! Och na syrth y mynyded ar
yn gwarthaf5 ni." A phawb a oed yna yn mynet y agheu.
O duw Sul hyt duw Merchyr gwedy marw Dewi, ny lews-
sant na bwyt, na diawt namyn gwediaw drwy dristyt. A
nos Vaurth, ygylch canu y kyeilyawc, nachaf lu o engylyon
yn llenwi y dinas, a phob ryw gerdeu a digrifvvch ym mhob
1 Givelut ti gyfuredic, R. 2 Gweles llygeit. 3 Erryvet enwe'r sawl.
4 Nid yw A oed yno, yn R. 5 Gwastraf, R.
116 BUCHEDD DEWI SANT.
lie yn y dinas yn llawn; ac yn yr awr vore nachaf yr Arglwyd
lesu Grist yn dyuot, ac ygyt ac ef naw rad nef, megys y
gadaussei yn y vawrhydri, a'r heul yn eglurau yr holl luoed.
A hynny duw Mawrth, y dyd kyntaf o galan Mawrth, y
kymerth lessu Grist eneit Dewi Sant, y gyt a mawr vudu-
golyaeth a llevenyth ac enryded ; gwedy y newin ae sychet,
ae anwyt, ae lauur, ae dyrvvest, ae gardodeu, ae vlinder, ae
drallawd ae brouedigaetheu, ay vedwl am y byt. Y kym
erth yr egylyon y eneit ef, ac ae dygant y'r lie y mae y
goleuni heb diwed, a gorfwys heb lauur, a llywenyd heb
dristit, ac amled o bop ryw da, a vudugolyaeth a chlaerder
a thegwch. Y lie mae molyant rysswyr Crist ; y lie yd ys-
gaelussir y kyuoethogyon drwc; y lie y mae iechyt heb
dolur, a ieungtit heb heneint, a thagnefed heb annundeb, a
cherdeu heb vlinder, a gobrwyueu heb diwed ; y lie y mae
Abel y gyt a'r merthyri ; y lie y mae Enoc y gyt ar rei
byw ; y lie y mae Noe ygyt a'r llongwyr ; y lie mae Abra
ham y gyt a'r padrieirch ; y lie y mae Melchisedec y gyt
a'r offeireit ; y lie y mae Job y gyt a'r rei da eu diodef ; y lie
y mae Moysen y gyt a'r tywysogyon ; y lie y mae Aaron gyt
a'r esgyb ; lie y mae Dauyd gyt a'r brenhined ; lie y mae
Ysaias gyt a'r proffwydi; y lie mae Meir gyt a'r gwery-
don ; lie y mae Pedyr gyt a'r ebystyl , lie y mae Pawl gyt a
gwyr Groec ; lie y mae Thomas gyt a gwyr yr India ; lie y
mae leuan gyt a gwir yr Asia ; lie y mae Mathew gyt a
gwir Judea ; lie y mae Lucas gyt a gwyr Achaia ; lie y mae
Marcus gyt a gwir Alexandria ; lie y mae Andreas gyt a
gwir Sythia; lie y mae yr engylyon a'r archengylyon, a
cherubyn, a seraphyn, a brenhin y brenhined yn yr oes oes^
oed. Amen.
Ac val y koffayssam ni Dewi yn y vuched ehun, ae wei-
thredoed ar y daear yma, uelly y bo kanhorthwywr ynteu
ac y grymhao yn eiryawl y ninneu y geyr bron y gwir gre-
awdyr ar gaffel trugared racllaw. Amen.
VI.
Ifita iimrti
INCIPIT VITA BEATI DAVID, QUI ET DEWI, EPISCOPI ET CONFESSORIS.
KAL. MARTII, QUI OBIIT ANNO PER RICEMARCHUM.
j[lottUttUS> noster, quamvis omnes suos ante constitutionem
™ mundi dilexit, atque prescivit, nonnullos tamen multis
revelationum ostensionibus prenuntiavit ;2 iste itaque sanc-
tus, quern tinctio David, vulgus autem Dewi clamat, veri-
loquiis angelorum oraculis ad patrem quidem prius, delude
ad Sanctum Patricium ter denis annis priusquam nasceretur
non solum prefatus, verum etiam misticis donationum mu-
neribus ditatus innotuit. Nam quodam tempore pater ejus
meritis et nomine Sanctus, Ceretice gentis regali potentia
fretus, qua tandem deposita, celeste regnum comparans, an
gelica in somnis monitus voce, audivit, " Crastina die ex-
pergefactus, venatum iturus, ceso prope fluvium cervo, tria
ibi munera repperies juxta amnem Theibi,3 cervum scilicet
quern persequeris, piscem, apumque examen in arbore posi-
tum in loco qui vocatur Linhenlanum ; ex his itaque tribus
reserves favum scilicet, partemque piscis et cervique custo-
dienda filio ex te nascituro transmitte ad Maucanni monas-
terium, quod nunc usque Depositi Monasterium vocatur;
1 Ex. Cott. Lib. Brit. Mus. VESPASIAN A. XIV. col. cum. NERO, E. I.
2 Prenunciet, N. N. denotat Nero. 3 Juxta amnem Theibi) desunt, N.
Q
118 VITA SANCTI DAVID.
que quidem munera hujus vitam prenuntiant ; favus enim
mellis ejus sapientiam clamat, sicut enim mel in cora, ita
spiritualem sensum historico cepit instrumento. Piscis vero
aquaticam ejus vitam sonat ; sicut enim piscis aqua vivit, ita
iste vinum et siceram, et omne quod inebriare potest, re-
spuens, beatem Deo vitam in pane tantum et aqua ducet;
inde etiam David aquatice vite cognominabatur. Cervus
autem in antiquo serpente signat dominium, sicut enim cer-
vus expoliatus serpentibus pastus fontem aque desiderans
acceptis viribus, velut juventute renovatur; sic iste quasi
cervorum pedibus super excelsa statutus, antiquum humani
generis serpentem viribus nocendi contra semetipsum expo-
lians, fontem vite assiduis lacrimarum cursibus adoptans, de
die in diem renovatus perfecit, et in nomine Sancte Trinita-
tis salutarem scientiam castioris prandii parcitate, domi-
nandi in demones habere potestatem inciperet."
Deinde Patricius, Romanis eruditus disciplinis, comitan-
tibus virtutum turmis, pontifex effectus, gentem a qua ex-
ulaverat petivit ; in qua fructuosi operis lucernam oleo ge-
mine karitatis indefatigabili reficiens labore, non sub modio,
sed super candelabrum imponere volens, ut cunctos1 glori-
ficato omnium Patre roraret. Ceretice gentis regionem
adilt; in qua per aliquantulum temporis conversatus, De-
metica intrat rura, ibique perlustrans, tandem ad locum qui
Vallis Rosina nominabatur pervenit. Et gratum agnoscens
locum devovit Deo ibi fideliter deservire, sed cum hoc se-
cum meditando revolveret, apparuit ei angelus Domini,
" Tibi," inquit, " non istum locum Deus disposuit, sed filio
qui nondum est natus, nee nisi peractis prius triginta annis
nascetur." Audiens autem hec Sanctus Patricius, merens
et stupens iratusque dixit,1 "Cur Dominus despexit servum
suum ab infantia sua sibi servientem cum timore et amore;
elegitque alium, nondum in hac luce natum, sed neque ante
triginta annos nasceretur;" paravitque fugere, et Dominum
suum Jesum Christum deserere, dicens, "Cum ante Domini
1 Cunctis, N. s Et corde dicens, N.
VITA SANCTI DAVID. 119
mei conspectum incassum labor meus redigitur, et mihi qui
nondum est natus preponitur, vadam, et tali labor! amodo
non subjaceam." Sed Dominus multum diligebat Patricium,
misitque ad eum angelum simm ut ilium verbis familiaribus
blandiretur; cui ait, "Patrici, letare, Dominus enim misit
me ad te, ut ostendam tibi totam Hiberniam insulam de
sede que est in Rosina Valle, que modo Sedes Patricii nomi-
natur; aitque angelus ei, " Exulta, Patrici, tu enim eris
apostolus illius totius insule quam cernis, multaque propter
nomen Domini Dei tui in ea pateris, sed Dominus erit te-
cum in omnibus que facturus sis; nondum enim verbum
vite accepit; ibique prodesse debes, ibi paravit tibi Domi
nus sedem, ibi signis et virtutibus radiabis, totamque gen-
tem Deo subjugabis,1 Sit tibi hoc signum, totam tibi in
sulam ostendam ; curventur2 montes, huniiliabitur pelagus,
oculus trans omnia erectus ex loco prospectans videbit pro-
missum." His dictis, erectisque oculis ex loco in quo stabat,
qui modo Sedes Patritii dicitur totam prospexit insulam.
Tandem animus Patricii sedatus libenter dimisit locum sanc
tum David agio, paransque navem in portu magno, susci-
tavit quendam senem nomine Cruvnther per duodecim
annos juxta litus illud sepultum. Navigavitque Patritius
in Hiberniam, habens secum nuper suscitatum, qui postea
episcopus factus est,
Peractis autem triginta predictis annis, virtus divina mi-
sit sanctum regem Ceretice regionis usque ad plebem De-
metice gentis. Invenitque rex obviam sibi sanctam moni-
alem, Nonnitam virginem, puellam pulcram nimis et
decoram ; quam concupiscens, tetigit vi oppressam, et con-
cepit filium suum David agium ; que nee antea, nee postea
virum agnovit, sed in castitate mentis et corporis perseve-
rans, fidelissimam duxit vitam. Nam ap ipso conceptionis
tempore, pane tantum et aqua vixit, in loco autem in quo
oppressa concepit, modicus patet compus, visu amenus, mu-
nere superni roris plenus ; in quo campo, tempore ipso con-
1 Ego ero tecum, adduntur, N. 2 Curvabuntur, N.
120 VITA SANCTI DAVID.
ceptionis duo grandes lapides apparuerunt, unus ad caput,
alter ad pedes qui antea visi non fuerant ; nam terra concep-
tui ejus congaudens sinum suum aperuit, ut et puelle vere-
cundiam servaret et prolis soliditatem prenuntiaret.
Crescente autem utero, mater ex proprio more ad offer-
andas pro partu oblationum elemosynas, quandam ingreditur
ecclesiam ad predicationem evangelie audiendam quam pre-
dicabat Sanctus Gildas, Cau films in tempore regis Triphuni,
et filiorum ejus. Ingressa autem matre subito Gildas ob-
mutescens quasi clauso gutture tacuit. Interrogatus autem
a populo cur interrupta predicatione obmutuerat, respondit,
"Ego communi loquelo vos alloqui possum, predicare autem
non possum, sed vos extra egredientes me solum remanere
facite, ut sciam si sic possim predicare." Egressa igitu foras
plebe, ipsa mater in angulo se abscondens latuit, non quod
precepto non obediens, sed ingenti aviditate precepta sitiens
vitalia ad demonstrandum tante prolis privilegium remane-
bat. Deinde et secundo toto cordis annisu desudans, celitus
inhibitus nichil valuit; hinc perterritus, excelsa profatus
voce, " Adjuro te" inquit, "siquis me latet, ut te ex pati-
bulo ostendas." Tune ipsa respondens, <; Ego," inquit, " hie
lateo inter valvam, et parietem."1 Ipse vero divina fretus
providentia, "Tu," inquit, "foras egredere, populus autem ec
clesiam ingrediens repedet." Venitque unusquisque sicut
prius fuerat in sede, et predicavit Gildas quasi de buccina
clare; interrogavitque plebs agium Gildam, et dixit, "Cur
non potuisti prima vice evangelium Christi predicare nobis
volentibus audire?" Et respondit Gildas, et dixit, "Vocate
hue sanctimonialem, que exiit extra ecclesiam." Interro-
gata autem matre, se esse pregnantem confessa est ; et ait
nomrita sancta, " Ecce assum." At ille dixit, " Filius qui
est in utero istius sanctimonialis major em gratiam ac po-
testatem ordinationemque habet quam ego, qnia illi dedit
Deus privilegium et monarchiam ac bragmmationem omni
um sanctorum Brittannie in eternum, ante et post judicium;
1 Inter valvam et parietem desunt, N.
VITA SANCTI DAVID. 121
valete fratres et sorores, ego non possum hie diutius habitare
propter filium hujus sancti monialis, quia sibi tradita est
monarchia super omnes homines istius insule, ad aliam in-
sulam necesse est michi ire, et Britannniam totam hujus
filio dimittere. Unum cunctis liquido patuit quod ilia se-
culo paritura esset qui honoris privilegio, sapientie fulgore,
sermonis facundia cunctos Britannie doctores exelleret."1
Interea quidam ex confinio, tyrannus habebatur, qui ex
magorum vaticinio audierat filium suis in finibus nasciturum,
cujus potestas totam occuparet patriam ; ipse qui solis ter-
rennis intentus summum sibi bonum in his infirmis deputa-
bat, magno invidie livore crutiabatur. Notato itaque ex
magorum oraculis loco in quo postea films nascebatur, " So
lus," inquit" tot diebus loco super sedebo, et quemcuncque ibi
ilium modicum quiescentem inveniam meo peremtus gladio
occumbet." His ita destinatis revolutlsque novem mensi-
bus, quibus pariendi tempus aderat, mater per ipsam quadam
die egrediebatur viam in qua parturiendi locus aderat, quern
ex magorum presagio tirannus servabat. Urgente autem
partus tempore; mater predictum petivit locum; ipsa vero
die tanta aeris tempestas invaluit, ut nullus ullus etiam foras
egredi poterat; ingens enim choruscationum fulgur, horri-
dus tonitruorum clangor, nimia grandinum, pluviarumque
inundantia afficit. Locus autem in quo mater parturiens
ingemiscebat tanta lucis serenitate peiiucebat ut veluti sole
presente Deo nubibus obducto roraret; mater vero partu
riens quamdam juxta habebat petram in qua urgente dolore
manibus innixa fuerat. Qua re vestigium veluti cere im-
pressum petram intuentibus ostendit, que in medium divisa
dolenti matri condoluit, cujus altera pars saltavit desuper
caput sanctimonialis tenus pedes ejus quando enixa et pu-
erpera, in quo loco ecclesia sita est. In hujus vero altaris
fundamine hec petra tecta latet.
Deinde cum baptizaretur ab Belue Meneviensium epis-
copo, in ipso loco ad baptizandi ministerium fons lucidis-
1 Quod ex w&teguentis vite inertis comprobatur, adduntur, N,
122 VITA SANCTI DAVID.
sime erumpens subito apparuit, qui nunquam an tea visus
fuerat, curavit quoque oculos moni ceci qui tenuit cum dum
baptizaretur. Intelligens enim sanctus ille cecus, qui sicut
fertur ab utero matris sine nare, et sine oculis natus fuerat,
infantem quern in sinu suo tenebat, plenum esse gratia Spi-
ritus Sancti, accepit aquam,1 de qua corpus sancti infantis
ter immersa fuerat, sparsitque faciem suam ex ea tribus vi-
cibus, et dicto citius claritatem oculorum, totamque integri-
tatem faciei sue hilariter sumpsit ; cunctique qui aderant,
glorificaverunt Dominum et David agium in die ilia. Lo
cus autem in quo David agius eruditus est Vetus Rubus
vocatur; crescebatque gratia plenus, visu amabilis ; illicque
didicit David agius rudimenta, psalmos, lectiones totius
anni, et missas, et sinaxin, ibique viderunt condiscipuli ejus
columbam cum rostro aureo ad labia ejus ludentem cumque
docentem, et ymnos Dei canentem; sed succedente tempore,
cresentibusque virtutum meritis, virginem a spouse com-
plexibus servans carnem probiter2 effectus, sacerdotali
dignitate sublimatus.
Exinde perexit ad Paulinum scribam, discipulum Sancti
Germani episcopi, qui in insula quaclam gratam Deo vitam
agebat, quique eum docuit in tribus partibus lectionis donee
fuit scriba. Mansit autem ibi Sanctus David multis annis
legendo, implendoque quod legebat. Contigit autem dum
esset David agius apud Paulinum magistrum, ilium amis-
sisse lumen oculorum suorum propter nimium dolorem
eorum ; vocavitque cunctos discipulos suos ex ordine ut in-
spicerent, et benedicerent oculos suos ; feceruntque sicut
preceperat illis, et a nullo eorum accepit remedium. Tan
dem invitavit David agium ad se, et ait illi, "David agie,
considera oculos meos, multum enim me cruciant." Res-
ponditque David agius, et dixit, " Pater mi, ne mihi pre-
cipias vultum tuum inspicere; decem enim anni sunt, ex
quo tecum scripture opera dedi, et adhuc faciem tuam non
aspexi." Et ait Paulinus nimiam verecundiam admirans,
1 Ayendi, MS. 2Sic. N. Probri, V.
VITA SANCTI DAVID. 123
illius, " Quia ita est, satis erit ut palpando, benedicas ocu-
los moos, et sanabor. Statimque ut tetigit eos, in ictu oculi
sanati sunt; expulsis oculorum tenebris, sublatam magis-
trum accepit lucem. Tune grates Deo solvuntur, benedixit-
que Paulinus David agium omnibus benedictionibus, que in
veteri, et in novo testamento scripta sunt.
Non post multum temporis angelus Paulino apparuit ;
tempus erat, in quod, ut David agius, duplicatis ex com-
mercio talentis, commissum sibi sapientie talentum, non
terre fodiens lento desidie torpore pigrescet mandit ; sed
acceptam domini sui pecuniam meliore lucri incremento
augescat, ut vite gaudium Domini constitutes animarum
manipulos ad superna eterne beatitudinis horrea cumulando
aggreget. Nam quantis exhortationis ungue exaratis triti-
ceis seminibus insertis, aliis quidam centenum, aliis sexage-
num, aliis tricenum bone messis captavit fructum. In bove
enim firme et asino exigue virtutis pariter non arans, sed
aliis firmum vite panem, aliis pie exhortationis lac attribu-
ens; quosdam inter cenobialis claustri septa coartans; quos-
dam vero latioris vite sequentes diversa monitos eruditione
a secularium voluptatum lubricis cupiditatibus ablactans,
omnibus omnia factus est. Nam duodecim ad laudem Dei
monasteria fundavit ; primum adveniens Glastoniam, eccle-
siam ibi construxit ; deinde venit Bathboniam, ibique morti-
feram aquam benedictione salutarem efficiens lavandis cor-
poribus dignam perpetuo donavit calore ; postea venit
Croulan, at Repetun ; inde ad Colquan, et Glascun, et
altare anceps secum habebat. Hinc Legminstre monaster-
ium fundavit ; postea in regione Guent, in loco qui dicitur
Raglan edificavit ecclesiam; deinde monasterium in loco
qui dicitur Langemelach fundavit in regione Guhir, in quo
postea altare missum accepit Pepiau, quo regem Erging
cecum restauratis oculorum luminibus sanavit. Duo quo-
que sancti Boducat et Martuin in provincia Cetgueli de-
derunt sibi manus ; his itaque ex more fundatis dispositis-
que canonici ordinis utensilibus ac ordinata cenobialis habi
tus regula, ad locum quo prius proficiscens exulaverat et
124 VITA SANCTI DAVID.
ad Veterem Rubum rediit. Habitabat autem ibi Guislian-
us episcopus patruelis ejus ; cum autem colloquiis divinis
inter se consolarentur ; sanctus inquit David, " Angelus
Domini mini locutus, dixit, Ex loco in quo deservire pro-
ponis, vix e centum unus poterit ad Dei regnum evadere ;
ostenditque mihi locum ex quo pauci infernum intrabunt ;
omnis enim qui cimiterio illius sana fide sepultus fuerit,
misericordiam consequetur."
Quadam vero die David, et tres ejus fidelissimi discipuli,
multa condiscipulorum comitante turba, conveniunt ; Aid-
anus scilicet, Eliud, et Ysmahel, pariterque una Concordes
dilectione locum quern premonuerat, adeunt, id est Ro-
sinam Vallem, quam vulgari nomine Hodnant Brittones
vocitant ; in qua primo accenso in nomine Domini foco, fu-
mus in summis elevatus totam ut apparebat insulam necnon
et Hiberniam circumgirans implebat. Quidam autem ex
vicinia loci propinquus satrapa magusque Baia, vocatus,
Scottus, sparcis in mundo solis fulgoribus, arcis menibus re-
sidens, viso tali signo hebetans, intremuit, tantaque permo-
tus ira ut nee meminisset prandii totum tristis peregit diem;
ad quern ejusdem mulier veniens, interrogansque cur insoli-
tum mense oblivisceretur, quid tarn tristior, et tarn stupe-
factus, inquit, " Solus meres1 ipse." Ad hec, ille, " Vidisse
me," inquit, " dolens fumum ex Rosina Valle surgentem, qui
omnem circumibat patriam ; certum enim teneo quod ejus
incensor potestate et gloria cunctos antecellet in quamcun-
que partem fumus hostie ejus circumivit, usque in fine
mundi, namque quasi quodam prenuntio, fumus iste ejus fa-
mam predicit." Cui, corijux in insania versa " Surge," inquit,
"acceptaque servorum turba virum ilium et servos suos
ignem accendentes super agros tuos absque precepto tuo tale
ausos facinus, strictis insecutus gladiis cunctos interime."
Venerunt Baia satellitesque ejus ut occiderent David et
discipulos ejus, sed febris subito per viam gradientes tenuit
eos, nee potuerunt occidere David, aut pueros ejus, sed
1 Merens, N.
VITA SANCTI DAVID. 125
blasphemaverunt Dominum et David agium, malaque verba
dixerunt. Neque enim nocendi voluntas deerat, quamvis
eterno prohibita numine operand! facultas exinaniret. Do-
mum inde regress! obviam invenerunt conjugem; "Pecora,"
inquit, " nostra et jumenta, et oves, et omnia animalia
mortua sunt." Et lamentaverunt Baia et conjux ejus, et
tota familia ejus valde, et ululaverunt omnes pariter, et dix
erunt, " Sanctus ille, et discipuli ejus quos blasphemavimus,
mortificaverunt pecora nostra ; revertamus itaque flexisque
poplitibus misericordiam postulantes, servum Dei adoremus,
ut si libere sic et nostri et pecoris misereatur." Revertentes-
que servum Dei adeunt lacrimis et orationibus miseri
cordiam petentes, "Terra," inquiunt, "in qua es, tua in sem-
piternum fiat." Deditque Baia eadem die David agio
totam Rosinam Vallem, perpetuo possidendam. Servus
autem Dei, David respondens benigno animo, " Pecora," in-
quit, " vestra reviviscent." Invenitque Baia domum reversus
pecora*sua viva ac sana.
Altera autem die uxor ejus livoris zelo accensa, convoca-
tis ancillis, " Ite," inquit, " ad flumen quod dicitur Alun,
et nudatis corporibus in conspectu sanctorum ludite exer-
centes, impudicis utimini verbis. Ancille obediunt, impu-
dicos exercent ludos, concubitus simulant blandos, amoris
nexus ostendunt, monachorum mentes quorundam ad libi-
dines protrahunt1 quorundam molestant. Cuncti vero disci
puli ejus illam intolerabilem injuriam non ferentes, dixerunt
David agio, "Fugiamus de hoc loco, quia non possumus
hie habitare propter molestiam muliercularium malignan-
tium." Sanctus autem pater David patientie longanimitate
solidus, cujus anima nee prosperii2 mollita dissolveretur, nee
adversi3 fatigata tereretur, "Nostis," unquit, "quod odit vos
mundus, sed scitote quod plebs Israelitica, comitante federis
archa, terram repromissionis ingrediens, continuis preliorum
periculis cesa nee tamen victa, insistentem prope et incir-
cumcisum delevit populum, quod nostre victorie certamen
Perhilunt, Vesp. 2 Properis, N. 3 Adversis. N.
R
126 VITA SANCTI DAVID.
manifesto signat indicio. Qui enim superne patrie pro-
missum querit necesse est adversitatibus fatigari nee tamen
vinci, seel Christo comite immundam vitioruin labem tandem
superare : debemus, itaque non vinei a malo, sed vincere in
bono malum ; quia si Christus pro nobis, quis contra rios ;
estote ergo fortes in superabili bello, ne de fuga nostra in-
imicus noster gaudeat. Nos debemus manere, Baia autem
deficere." His dietis discipulorum corda roboravit;et jeju-
navit David in ilia nocte et discipuli ejus usque mane.
In ilia die dixit conjunx Baia ad privignam suam, famulus
simul, " Ad vallem Alun et queramus cucumeros illius, ut in-
veniamus nuces in eis." At ilia humiliter sue noverce respon-
dit, dicens, " En ego prompta assum." Perexerunt pariter
ad profunditatem vallis predicte ; cumque pervenissent
illuc, noverca sedens delicate, ait ad priuignam suam, Dun-
ant nomine, " Tribue caput tuum in sinu meo ; volo enim
cirros tuos leniter investigare." At ilia puella innocens,
que ab infantia sua pie ac caste inter pessimas mulierum
turmas vixerat, vertit caput irmocuum in sinum noverce
sue. Sua vero noverca insaniens cito evaginavit novaculam
suam, amputavitque cuput illius felicissime virginis ; san-
guis vero ejus in terram, fluxit, fonsque lucifluus ab eo loco
surrexit, qui multos hominum languores abunde sanavit,
quern locum Martirium Dunant usque in hodiernam diem
vulgus vocitat. Sua vero noverca a Baia fugit, nemoque sub
celo novit quonam morte vitam finivit ; hinc Baia satrapa
amariter flevit. David vero cum pueris suis laudem Deo
eterno decantavit ; sicque destinavit Baia ut David agium
occideret, at films Paucant inimicus suus Lisci in arce suo
caput ejus amputavit. Erat enim porta illius diliculo
aperta, cum hostis inopinatus de nave venisset ; moxque
ignis de celo cecidit, totumque edificium suum cito com-
bussit. Nemoque dubitet quod Dominus propter David
servum suum percussit Baiam et uxorem ejus, nam qui viri
Dei mortem sub cede minabatur, dignum est ut eum cedes
persequitur, et qui in servos Dei immisericors erat, sine
misericordia vindicetur.
VITA SANCTI DAVID. 127
Expulsa igitur Deo propitio inimicorum malitia, monas-
tica in Domino classis in loco quern angelus premonuerat,
insigne construxit monasterium ; perfectisque omnibus, ta-
lem cenobialis propositi fervore rigorem sanctus decrevit
pater, ut monachorum quisque cotidiano desudans operi
manuum suam in commune transigeret vitam ; " Qui enim
non laborat," ait apostolus, "non manducet." Noscens
enim quod secura quies vitiorum fomes et mater esset,
monachorum humeros divinis fatigationibus subjugavit ;
nam qui sub otii quiete tempora mentesque summittunt
instabilem accidie spiritum libidinisque stimulos sine quiete
parturiunt. Igitur impensorum studio, pede manuque la-
borant ; jugum ponunt in humeris, suffossarias verangasque1
invicto brachio terre difigunt, sarculos serrasque ad succi-
dendum sanctis ferunt manibus. Cuncta congregationis
necessaria propriis expendunt viribus; possessiones respu-
unt, iniquorum dona reprobant, divitias detestantur; bourn
nulla ad arandum cura iritroducitur. Quisque sibi et fratri-
bus divitie, quisque et bos ; acto opere nullum audiebatur
murmur, nullum preter necessarium habebatur colloquium;
sed quisque aut orando, aut recte cogitando injunctum per-
agebat opus.
Peracto autem rurali opere, ad monasterii claustra rever-
tentes, aut legendo aut scribendo, aut orando, totam ad ves-
perum peragebant diem ; veniente autem vespere cum nole
pulsus audiebatur quisquis studium deserebat, si enim in
auribus cujuscunque pulsus resonaret, scripto litere, apice
vel etiam dimidia ejusdem litere, figura citius assurgentes
sua sinebant officia; sicque cum silentio, sine ulla colloquii
fabulositati, ecclesiam petunt. Expletis psalmorum canticis,
consona cordis et vocis intentione genuflexionibus inservi-
unt quoadusque sidera celo visa finitum clauderent diem;
solus autem pater egressis omnibus secreta Deo pro ecclesie
statu fundebat orationem. Tandem ad mensam conveniunt
quisque fessos artus accepte cene refectione relevant ; nee
1 Fassoiios, mngasgut ,N.
128 VITA SANCTI DAVID.
tamen ad saturitatem. Nimia enim satietas, quamvis solus
panis, luxuriam gignit, sed tune per impari corporum vel
etatum statu, quisque cenam capit, non diversorum fercula
saporum, non esculentiores pastus apponunt; sed pane et
oleribus sale conditis ; pasti ardentem sitim temperato poti-
onis genere restingunt. Infirmis tune vel etate provectis,
vel etiam longo itinere fatigatis, aliqua suavioris cibi oblec-
tamenta procurant; non enim omnibus equali mensura pen-
sandum est. Peracta autem gratiarum actione, ecelesiam
canonica cum pulsatione,1 aderunt ibique quasi per tres
lioras vigiliis, orationibus, genuflexionibus insistunt. Quam-
diu autem in ecclesia orarent, nullus oscitare, nullus sternu-
tationem facere, nullus salivam foras jacere, licenter aude-
bat. His ita gestis sapori membra componunt, pullorum
vero cantu expergefacti, oratione genuflexion! dediti, totam
deinceps diem insomnem a mane usque producant noctem,
sicque per ceteras noctes inserviunt.
A nocte sabbati quousque post diliculum prima diei domi-
nica hora lux eluxerit vigiliis, orationibus, genuflexionibus sese
impendunt, excepta una tune hora post sabbati matutinas ; co-
gitationes patri propalant,patris licentiam etiam vel ad nature
requisita adquirunt. Omnia communia, nichil meum vel tu-
um. Quisquis enim aut meum librum aut aliud aliquid pro-
nuntiaret, protinus dure subderetur penitentie. Vilibus indu-
ebantur vestibus, maxime pellinis; indeficiens2 obedientia
ad patris imperium, nimia perseverantia in agendis actibus
prohibita in omnibus. Nam qui sancti propositi conversati
on em desiderans, fratrum inire consortium postularet, prius
decem diebus pre foribus monasterii quam reprobatus ; nee
non et verborum opprobriis confutatus3 remaneret. Si autem
bene utens patientia ad decimum prestaret diem, acceptus
prius sub seniore qui forte preesset constitutus serviebat, ibi
que per multum temporis desudans, fractisque multis animi
adversitatibus, tandem fratrum merebatur inire consortium.
Nichil habebatur superfluum, voluntaria diligebatur pauper-
, N. a pro indefessls. 3 Conslituius cella hospitii intraret, N.
VITA SANCTI DAVID. 129
tas ; nam quicunque eorum conversationem cupiebat, nichil
ejus substantie, quam mundo renuntians dimisisset, vel unum,
ut ita dicam, denarium in usum monasterii pater acciperet
sanctus ; sed nudus veluti e naufragio evadens receptus ; ne-
quacquam inter fratres extollens sese elevaret, vel sua ful-
tus substantia equalem fratribus non iniret laborem ; aut reli-
gionis habitum apportans1 vi extorqueat que monasterio re-
liquit, et firmam pacientiam commoveat in iram.
Ipse autem pater cotidianis lacrimarum fontibus exun-
dans, thurificatis orationum holocausto matibus, redolens
gemine caritatis ardore, flagrans debitam dominici corporis
oblationem puris sacrabat manibus, sicque ad angelicum
solus post matutinas horas pergebat alloquium. Hinc pro-
tinus frigidam petebat aquam, in qua diutius morando
rigens omnem carnis ardorem domitabat. Totam deinceps
diem, docendo, orando, genuflect en do, curam fratrum faci-
endo, nee non et orphanorum, pupillorum, viduarum, egen-
tium, debilium, infirmantium, peregrinorum, multidudinem
pascendo immobilis, et indefessus ducebat. Sicque incepit,
peregit, finivit; reliqua autem ejus discipline rigoris, quam-
vis ad imitandum necessaria, proposita compendii brevitas
vetat nos exponere; sed Egyptios monachos imitatus, simi-
lem eis duxit vitam.
Audita itaque boni odoris fama David agii, reges, princi-
pes, seculares deserunt sua regna, ejusque monasterium pe-
tunt; hinc contigit ut Constantinus, Cornubiensium rex,
suum desereret regnum, ac indomita ante sue elevationis,
colla humilitatis ob^dientie in hujus patris cella snbjugaret
Ibique diu fideli conversatus servitio, tandem in aliam lon-
ginquam patriam monasterium fundavit ; sed quia satis de
ejus conversation locuti sumus, nunc iterum ad ejus mira-
cula redeamus.
Quadam Abbatem die convenientes in unum fratres con-
queruntur, "Locus iste," inquiunt, "hyeme habet aquas,
sed estate vix tenui rivulo fluvius illabitur." His auditis,
1 Appretiens, N.
130 VITA SANCTI DAVID.
sanctus proficiscens pater ad proximum locum, quo eum
angelus alloquebatur1 perrexit, ibique sedule ac diutissime
deprecans elevatis in celum oculis, necessarian! petivit
aquam, cum voce orantis, fons lucidissime2 affluxit aque.
Et quia vineis fructifera non erat patria ad efficiendum
dominici corporis et sanguinis sacramentum, in vinum versa
est, ita ut in tempore suo nunquam indiguerit mero, a Do
mino Deo tali nostro donum fuit dignissimum ; sed et alias
dulces aquas a discipulis ad patris imitationem datas homi-
num utilitati, et sanitati proficuas novimus.
Quadam quoque die, quidam rusticus, nomine Terdi, de
precans multum,3 caritatis petebat officia, " Terra," inquiens,
" nostra aqua est exhausta, quare laboriosam ad aquandam,
quia e longinquo distat fluvius, habemus viam." Sanctus
autem pater proximorum compatiens necessitati, humilis in-
gressus est credens quod supplici petentis postulatione, et
ejus humillima compassione aquam poterat invenire. Egre-
diens itaque et aperiens paululum baculi cuspide glebe
superficiem, fons emanavit lucidissimus, qui perpetua ebul-
liens vena, frigidissimam caloris tempore donat aquam. Alio
autem tempore, dum Sanctus Aidanus, ejus discipulus,
casu quodam ad firmandum doctrine acceptum, foris legeret,
monasterii affuit Prepositus imperans ei ut ad deportanda
de valle ligna acceptis duobus bobus abiret. Erat enim
silva in longinquo posita; discipulus autem Aidanus citius
dicto obediens, nee claudendi librum moram accipiens, sil-
vam petit; paratis autem lignis, jumentisque impositis, re-
grediens viam carpit ; via autem qua ad preruptum gradie-
batur precipitium cum vehiculo boves precipitati sunt in
mare. Ruentibus autem signum imponit crucis; atque ita
factum est ut ex undis sanos et incolumes cum vehiculo ac
cipiens boves, letus ingrederetur viam ; cum autem iter faceret
tanta pluviarum inundantia exoritur, ut fosse rivulis flue-
runt. Perfecto itinere, solutisque e labore bobus, ubi librum
reliquerat, irigreditur; sicque apertum et a pluviis illesum
1 Angdi loquelantur, N. a Dukissime, N. 3 Orans et multum deprecans, N.
VITA SANCTI DAVID. 131
repperit, sicut dimisit. Fratribus autem liec audientibus, et
patris gratia et discipuli humilitas pariter collaudantur ;
nam patris gratia librum indicabat a pluviis intactum obedi-
enti servatum discipulo, discipuli autem Immilitas boves
patri custodit incolumes. Sanctus autem Aidanus ad ple
num eruditus, virtutibus pollens, plurimum excoctis ad
purum vitiis, Hiberniam petit ; constructoque monasterio
ibi quod Hibernensi lingua Guernin vocatur, sanctissimam
duxit vitam.
Cum autem nocte Paschali orationem impensius asse-
queretur, apparuit ei angelus, inquiens, " Nosti quod vene-
rabili Sancto David, vestro scilicet patri, crastina die, vene-
num a quibusdam fratribus ad prandium apponetur." Sanctus
autem Aidanus respondens, "Nescio," inquit. Cui angelus,
" Mitte," ait, " ex ministris quendam patri ad indicandum."
Respondens autem sanctus Aidanus, " Nee navis," inquit,
"parata; nee ventus ad navigandum est directus." Cui
angelus inquit, "Concliscipulus tuus, Scutinus nomine, ad
litus pergat maris, ego enim eum illuc transferam." Disci-
pulus autem obediens litus petit, mare intrat ad genu. Ac-
cipiens autem eum belua trans vexit ad civitatis confinia;
peractis autem Paschalis festivitatis solemnibus, sanctus
pater David refectorium ad prandium una cum fratribus
petit. Cui obvius factus est quondam discipulus ejus Scu
tinus ; narratis omnibus que erga eum gesta fuerunt, et que
de illo angelus mandaverat pariter in refectorium discum-
bunt, leti gratias Deo agentes. Finita oratione assurgens
diaconus, qui patri ministrare1 consueverat panem veneno
confectum2 mense imponit, cui coquus et economus consen-
serant. Scutinus autem, qui et Scolanus aliud nomen habet,
se erigens, "Hodie," inquit, "nullum fratrem patri ministe-
rium adhibebit; ego enim impendam." Diaconus autem
confusus abscedens, facti conscius, habetans diriguit ; ac-
cepitque David agius panem ilium venenosum, dividensque
in tres partes, unam dedit canicule foris stanti juxta ostium;
1 Primwn ministerie, T. 2 Infectum, N.
132 VITA SANCTI DAVID.
statimque ut morsum gustasset misera morte vitam finivit ;
omnes enim pile illius in ictu oculi ceciderunt, ita ut vis
cera ejus foras erumperent, corio passim infracto ; stupue-
runtque fratres omnes illud videntes. Misitque David agius
alteram partem corvo qui erat in nido suo in fraxino, qui
erat inter refectorium et amnem ad australem plagam, mox-
que ut rostro tetigit, exanimis de arbore cecidit. Tertiam
•^ero partem, David agius tenuit in manu sua, et benedixit,
comeditque earn cum gratiaruni actione, inspexeruntque in
eum cuncti fratres miro modo, stupentes quasi per tres
horas ; ipse autem, nullo mortiferi veneni signo apparente,
intrepidus vitam servavit iucolumem. Nunciavitque David
agius fratribus suis omnia que ab illis tribus predictis viris
facta fuerunt. Surrexeruntque fratres omnes, et planxerunt,
malidixeruntque illos viros dolosos, economum et coquum,
et diaconum, dampnaveruntque eos, et successores eorum
uno ore, dicentes nunquam habituros eos partem regni ce-
lestis in eternum.
Alio quoque tempore cum inextinguibile desiderium ad
sanctorum Petri et Pauli apostolorum reliquias visitandas
haberet, inter ceteros fidelissimus ille abbas Hibernensium,
cui nomen Barri, sanctam peregrinandi viam indefessis car-
pebat plantis ; perfecto saluturi voto, ad monasterii claustra
revertens, sanctum visitabat virum, David agium ; ibique per
aliquantulum temporis in divinis coloquiis ex voto moratus,
prepedita ventorum indigentia navi qua patriam revisere
paraverat, longiori retardabatur mora. Timens autem ne
sine abbate, in fratribus contentiones, lites, rixe, soluto cari-
tatis vinculo, exorirentur, veluti apes, rege peremto, favorum
cellas quas tenaci glutine solidaverant diruunt, evertunt,
sollicita perscrutatus mente mirabile invenit iter. Nam
quodam die equum, in quo sanctus pater David ad ecclesias-
ticas utilitates insidere consueverat, petivit, concessum ac-
cepit. Accepta patris benedictione portum petit, mare
intrat, fidens patris benedictione ac sustentaculo equi, uti-
tur pro navi equus, enim tumentes fluctuum cumulos,1 ceu
1 Tumentem. fluctuum cumulum, N.
VITA SANCTI DAVID. 133
planum parabat campum ; cum autem in mare longius gra-
deretur, apparuit ubi Sanctus Brendanus super marinum
cetum miram ducebat vitam. Sanctus autem Brendanus
hominem in mare videns equitantem, stupefactus, ait, " Mi-
rabilis Dominus in sanctis suis." Eques appropinquabat
ubi erat, ita ut salutare se invicem possent. Salutantibus
illis se mutuo, Brendanus rogat unde esset, et a quo venisset,
et quomodo in mare equitasset. Cui Barre narratis sue per-
egrinationis causis, inquit, " Cum me prepedita navis a fra-
tribus suspenderet, Sanctus pater David equum, in quo
insidere consueverat, ut ea necessitate fungerer donavit; sic-
que ejus bendictione munitus ad talem ingressus sum viam."
Cui Brendanus, "Vade," inquit, "in pace, ego veniam, et
videbo eum." Barre autem illeso gressu patriam adiit, fra-
tribus erga eum que gesta fuerunt narravit ; equum in celle
ministerio usque ad obitum ejusdem tenuerunt. Post obi-
tum vero admiraculi memoriam depictam equi imaginem
formaverunt, que usque adhuc auro tecta in Hibernensium
insula habetur, qua etiam signorum copia claret.
Alio quoque tempore, alius ejus discipulus, Modomnoc7
nomine, cum fratribus, viam prope civitatis confinia in pro-
clivio cavabat, quo ad deferenda necessitatum onera vianti-
bus facilior fieret accessus. Ipse autem cuidam ex laboran-
tibus inquit, "Quid tu tarn desidiose, et segniter2 laboras."
At ille adloquentis verba iracundise permotus spiritu ferrum
quod manu tenebat, id est bipennem, in altum elevans, in
vertice eum ferire conatus est. Sanctus autem pater David
hoc a longe aspiciens, facto crucis signo, manum ad illos
elevavit ; sicque manus ferientis arida3 facta est.
Verum pene tertia pars, vel quarta Hibernie servit David
aquilento ubi fuit Maidoc, qui et Aidanus ab infantia; cui
dedit Sanctus David tintinnabulum, quod vocatur Crucdin.
Sed ille navigans ad Hiberniam oblitus est tintinabuli sui;
misitque Maidoc nuntium ad David agium, ut transmitteret
ad se gratum tintinnabulum. Aitque Sanctus David, "Perge
Modunnauc, N. z Scgne, N. 3 Aruit, N.
s
134 VITA SANCTI DAVID.
puer ad magistrum tuum." Et factum est dum reverteretur
legatus ille, ecce fuit tintinnabulum crastina juxta Aidaimm
clarum, angelo portante trans mare antequam venisset nun-
tius ejus.
Postquam autem predictus Sanctus Modomnoc longa
annorum vertigine obedientie ac humilitati deditus fuerat,
crescentibus virtutum meritis, Hiberniam petiit insulam, in
navim ingressum cuncta apum multitude eum secuta est,
secumque in navi ubi insederat collocavit in prora navis ; nam
eadem apum multitude stationibus inserviens, cum reliquo
fraternitatis opere alveariis ad nutriendos examinum fetus,
operam dedit quo indigentibus aliqua suavioris cibi oblecta-
menta procuraret.
Ipse autem fruere communionis fraude non tolerans, iter-
um sancti patri presentiam visitans, repedavit apum comi-
tatus turba queque ad sua volitant. Cui benedixit David
pro humilitate sua. Hinc patri fratribusque valedicens salu-
est, tatus,abiit; sed iterum apes eum sequuntur; sicque factum
ut si quando ipse egrediebatur, ut ipsum sequerentur. Ter-
tio iterum ille navigavit aliquamdiu, et factum est sicut pri-
us secutaque sunt eum examina, reversusque est ad David
tribus vicibus ; tertia vice dimisit David agius Modomnoc
navigare cum apibus, et benedixit eas, inquiens, " Terra ad
quam properatis vero sit abundans semine, nunquam ex ea
verum deficiat germen. Nostra autem civitas a vobis erit
in eternum deserta, nunquam in ea fetus vester excrescat.
Quod nunc usque servatum experimento didicimus; nam
ad ejusdem patris civitatem examina comperimus deportata,
sed ibi per aliquantum temporis mansitantes decrescendo
deficiunt. Hibernia autem in qua nunquam usque ad illud
tempus apes vivere poterant, mellis fertilitate1 ditatur."
Itaque sancti patris benedictione Hibernia creverunt in in-
sula, cum constat eas nequaquam ibi primo vivere potuisse,
nam si Hiberniensem humum aut lapidem mediis apibus
imitteres, disperse atque fugaces nimium devitarent.
1 Nimia mellis fertilitate, N.
VITA SANCTI DAVID. 135
Crescentibus meritis, autem crescunt et bonorum1 digni-
tates; nam quadam nocte ad eum angelus aifuit, cui inquit,
" Crastina die percingens calcia te Jerusalem usque pergere
proficiscens, optatam carpe viam. Sed et alios duos comites
itineris vocabo, Eliud scilicet qui mine Teliau vulgo voca-
tur, qui quondam ejus monastrio interfuit monachus, nee
non et Paternum, cujus conversatio atque virtutes in sua
continentur hystoria." Sanctus autem pater admirans ipsum
preceptum, dixit, "Quomodo hoc fiet, nam quos promittis
comites trium vel eo amplius dierum spatio a nobis vel a
semetipsis, distant. Nequicquam ergo pariter crastina con-
veniemus die." Angelus ad eum nuntiat, " Ego hac nocte
ad quemque illorum vadam, et ad condictum quod nunc os-
tendo convenient." Sanctus autem David nichil moratus,
dispositis cellule utilitatibus accepta fratrum benedictione,
primo mane iter incepit, pervenit ad condictum, reperit ibi
promissos fratres; pariter viam intrant, equalis commeatus,
nullus enim mente alio prior quisque eorum minister, quis-
que dominus2 sedula oratio lacrimis viam rigant ; quo
amplius pes incederet amplius merces excresceret, una illis
anima, una letitia, unus dolor.
Cum autem trans mare Brittannicum vecti, Gallias adir-
ent alienigenas diversarum gentium linguas audirent, lin-
guarum gratia3 ceu apostolicus ille cetus ditatus est pater
David, ut ne in extraneis degentes gentibus interprete eger-
ent, et ut aliorum fidem veritatis verbo firmarent. Tan
dem ad optate civitatis Jerusalem confinia pervenerunt;
nocte autem ilia ante eorum adventum, Patriarche in somp-
nis apparuit angelus, dicens, " Tres ab occidentis finibus
catholici adveniunt viri, quos cum gaudio et hospitalitatis
gratia suscipies, et mihi in episcopatum consecrabis." Pa-
triarcha vero tres honoratissimas sedes paravit; advenienti-
bus autem sanctis ad civitatem, magno letatus est gaudio,
eos benigne suscipiens paratis sedibus, spirituali colloquio
freti, grates Deo referunt. Deinde divina fultus electione
1 Honor, V. 2 Dux, N. 3 Gra:ia, V.
136 VITA SANCTI DAVID.
ad arcliiepiscopatum David agium provehit; his peractis
eos alloquens Patriarcha, "Obedite," inquit, <;voci mee, et
que precipio attendite, Judeorum," inquit, "potestas invalescit
in Christianos ; nos commovent, fidem repellunt, parate vos
itaque, et ad predicationem singulis procedite diebus, ut
eorum violent] a confutata conquiescat, noscens Christianam
fidem occidentis finibus divulgatam, ac ultimis terre extre-
mitatibus decantatam." Obediunt imperio, predicant sin-
guli, per singulos dies, fit grata predicatio, plures conver-
tunt ad fidem, alios roborant; perfectis omnibus ad patriam
conantur redire.
Tune patrem David Patriarcha quatuor muneribus ditavit,
altari scilicet consecrato, in quo dominicum jacebat corpus,
quidem innumeris virtutibus pollens, nunquam ab homini-
bus ab ejus pontificis obitu visum est, sed pelleis velamini-
bus tectum, absconditum latet; Insigni etiam nola, sed et
ipsa virtutibus claret; baculo, et auro1 texta tunica; qui
bacillus gloriosis choruscus miraculis totam insignis predica-
tur per patriam. " Sed quia," inquit Patriarcha, "laboriosa
vobis sunt in itinere ad ferendum ad patriam, redeuntes in
pace revertimini; ego autem post vos transmittam." Patri
valedicunt, patriam adveniunt. Quisque autem eorum Pa-
triarche promissum expectantes per angelos missa sua ac-
cipiunfc munera; David quidem in monasterio, cui nomen
Langemelack, Paternus autem et Eliud quisque eorum in
suo monasterio. Inde ea vulgus vocat e celo venientia.
Quia vero post Sancti Germani secundo auxilia Pelagiana
heresis sue obstinationis nervos, veluti venenosi serpentis
virus, intimis patrie compaginibus inscrens, reviviscebat,
universalis cunctorum Brittannie episcoporum sinodus colli-
gitur. Collectis itaque centum decem et octo episcopis,
innumerosa affuit multitudo presbiterorum, abbatum, ceter-
orum ordinum, regum, principum, laicorum virorum, femi-
narum, ita ut cuncta circumqueque loca grandis nimis
exercitus operiret. Episcopi autem inter se musitant, di-
1 Ex auro, N.
VITA SANCTI DAVID. 137
centes, " Nimia adest multitude, et non solum vox, sed etiam
tube clangor in cunctorum auribus insonare nequibit ; totus
itaque fere populus, a predicatione intactus, hereticam se-
cum labem domum repetens, reportavit." Tali ergo sub
conditione populo predicare disponitur, ut erecto vestimen-
torum cumulo in altum terre, unus desuper stando predica-
ret. At quicunque tali sermonis gratia ditaretur, ut in
cunctorum auribus, qui ex longo distabant ejus insonaret
loquela, metropolitanus archiepiscopus omnium fieret con-
sensu. Deinde constituto loco, cui nomen Brevi, erecta
vestimentorum turre predicare nituntur; sed quasi obstruso
gutture vix ad proximos quosque sermo progreditur, popu
lus expectat verbum sed maxima pars non audit. Alter
post alterum disputare conabatur, sed nichil valent. Fit
magna angustia, timent populum indiscussa heresi sua re-
meare. "Predicamus," inquiunt," et nichil lucramur; in-
cassum ergo noster redigitur labor." Assurgens autem
episcoporum quidam, Paulinus dictus, cum quo quondam
Sanctus David pontifex legerat, et inquit, " Quidam qui a
patriarcha episcopus factus, nostre adhuc non affuit synodo,
vir facundus, gratia plenus, religione probabilis, cui angelus
comis est, vir amabilis, vultu venustus, forma preclarus, qua-
tuor cubitorum statura erectus, ilium ergo meo invitate
eonsilio."
Nuntii protinus mittuntur, pervenerunt ad sanctum epis-
copum, nunciant ad quod venerant. Sanctus autem episcopus
renuit, " Nemo," inquiens, " temptet me, quod ipsi neque-
unt, qualis sum ut ego possim; agnosco humilitatem
meam, ite in pace ;" secundo et tertio legati mittuntur ; sed
neque sic adquiescit. Tandem sanctissimi viri ac fidelissi-
mi mittuntur, fratres, Daniel et Dubritius; Sanctus autem
David episcopus prophetie spiritum previdens, inquit ad
fratres, "Hodie, fratres sanctissimi viri nos adeunt, leto
animo eos excipite, pisces ad prandium cum pane et aqua
adquirite." Adveniunt fratres, mutuo se salutant, spiritu-
ali utuntur colloquio ; prandium apponitur ; affirmant
nunquam se suo in moriasterio pransuros, nisi secum ad
138 VITA SANCTI DAVID.
synodum recurrat. Sanctus autem ad hec dixit, " Negare
vobis non possum, prandete, pariter visitabimus synodum,
sed tune predicare nequeo, orationibus tamen quantulum-
cunque juvamen feram."
Proficiscentes autem ad proximum synodi locum perve-
niunt, et ecce juxta funestum audierunt luctum ; Sanctus
autem ad socios ait, " Ego ubi ingens habetur ulutatus per-
gam ;" Responderunt autem socii et dixerunt, " Nos con-
gregationem ademus, ne nostra tarditas expectantes moles-
tat." Vir vero Dei egrediens, perrexit ad locum ulutatus,1
aderat juxta amnem Theibi ; et ecce orbata mater corpus
extincti pueri servabat qui Magnus vocabatur ; beatus vero
David consolans matrem monitis sublevavit earn salutari-
bus ; at ilia audita ejus famam2 ante pedes ejus corruens,
importunis deprecatur clamoribus, ut sui misereatur. Com-
passus autem vir Dei infirmitati humane, ad corpus ex
tincti accedens, faciem lacrimis rigavit atque super defuncti
funus corruit, oravitque ad Dominum, et dixit, " Domine
Dcus meus, qui in hunc mundum pro nobis peccatoribus de
sinu Patris descendisti, ut nos redimes de faucibus antiqui
hostis, miserere istius vidue, et da vitam unico filio suo, at
que inspira in eo spiraculum vite, ut magnificetur nomen
tuum in universa terra." Tandem vero calefactis membris
redeunte anima corpus intremuit, tenensque pueri manum
vivum et sanum matri restituit. Mater autem tristes fletus
in letas vertit lacrimas, dicens, " Michi mortuus filius erat,
tibi vero et Deo amodo vivat." Accipiens autem sanctus
vir puerum evangelii textum quod semper in pectore gere-
bat, ejus humeris imposuit ; atque secum ad synodum ire
fecit; quique postea, vita comite multis annis sanctam3
duxit conversationem ; et omnes qui vidunt illud miracu-
lum, laudaverunt Dominum et David agium.
Synodum inde ingreditur; gaudet episcoporum turba,
populus letatus, omnis exultat exercitus, predicare petitus
concilii sententiam non respuit. Jubent constructum ves-
1 Affuit ubi luctus erat, N. * Fama, N. 3 Secundam, V.
VITA SANCTI DAVID. 139
tibus cumulum conscendere, at ille recusavit ; jussit itaque
puerum nuper resuscitatum, sudarium suum sub pedibus
exponere. Ipse quidem super illud stans evangelium et
legem quasi ex buccina exposuit ; coram autem cunctis
nivea celitus emissa columba in ejus humeris resedit, que
tamdiu permansit quamdiu ille predicavit. Cum autem
clara voce omnibus, et qui in proximo, et qui in longinquo
erant equaliter predicaret, terra sub ipso accrescens attolli-
tur in collem ; ab omnibus in summo positus eernitur ut in
montem excel sum stans quasi tuba exaltaret vocem suam.
In cujus collis cacumine ecclesia sita est ; heresis expelli-
tur, sanis pectoribus fides roboratur; omnes consentiunt
grates Deo sanctoque David solvuntur. Deinde omnium
ore benedictus atque magnificatus, cunctorum consensu
episcoporum, regum, principum, optimatum, et omnium
ordinum tocius Britannice gentis, archiepiscopus constitu-
itur, nee non civitas ejus tocius patrie metropolis dedicatur,
ita ut quicunque earn regeret archiepiscopus haberetur.
Expulsa igitur heresi, catholice et ecclesiastice regule
decreta firmantur, que crebra atque crudeli hostium irrup-
tione, exinanita, ac pene oblivioni data evanuerunt. Ex
quibus quasi gravi sompno expergefacti, bella Domini cer-
tatim quique peragere, que in vetustissimis patris scriptis,
sua sancta manu mandata ex parte inveniuntur. Deinde
succedente temporum serie alia colligitur synodus, cui no-
men Victorie; in qua collecta episcoporum, sacerdotum,
abbatum turba, ea que in priori firmaverunt, adjectis etiam
de aliquantis utilitatibus, firmo rigoris examine renovant.
Ex his igitur cluabus synodis, omnes nostre patrie ecclesie
modum et regulam Romana auctoritate acceperunt ; qua-
rum decreta que ore firmaverat, solus ipse episcopus sua
sancta manu literis mandavit.
Per cuncta igitur tocius patrie loca monasteria construx-
ere fratres ; passim et ecclesiarum signa audiuntur, passim
orationum voces ad sidera elevantur, passim virtutes ad ec
clesie sinum indefessis humeris reportantur, passim caritatis
vota patenti manu egenis parciuntur. Sanctus autem
140 VITA SANCTI DAVID.
David episcopus, cunctomm summus speculator, summus
protector, summus predicator, a quo omnes norm am, atque
formam recto vivendi itinere acceperunt, efFectus est. Ipse
cunctis ordo, ipse dedicatio, ipse benedictio, ipse absolutio,
correctio, legentibus doctrina, egentibus vita, orphanis nu-
trimentum, viduis fulcimen, patribus caput, monachis regu-
la, secularibus via, omnibus omnia, quanta monacliorum ex-
amina seminavit, quanta cunctis utilitate profuit, quanta
virtutum gloria claruit. Dedemntque universi episcopi ma
ims et monarchiam, et bragminationem David agio, et
consenserunt omnes licitum esse refugium ejus, ut daret illud
omni stupro et homicide et peccatori, omnique maligno
fugienti de loco ad locum pro omni sancto ac regibus et*
hominibus toti Brittanice insule in omni regno, et in una-
quaque regione in qua sit ager consecratus David agio. Et
nulli reges, neque seniores, neque satrape, sed neque episcopi
principesve ac sancti audeant pra? David agio refugium dare;
ipse vero refugium ducit ante unumquemque hominem, et
nemo ante ipsum, quia ipse est caput et previus ac brag-
maticus omnibus Brittonibus. Et statuerunt omnes sancti
anathema esset et maledictum, quisquis non servaverit illud
decretum, scilicet refugium sancti David. Sicque ad
senium productus, omnis Brittanice gentis caput, et patrie
honor canebatur quod senium centum quadraginta septem
ad modum annis complevit.
Cum autem ad compensanda meritorum premia sancta1
immineret dies, octavo calendarum Martii fratribus matuti-
nas horas celebrantibus, angelus ad eum locutus, clara pre-
fatus voce, "Desiderata," inquit, "dudum dies jam in
proximo habetur." Sanctus autem episcopus amicam nos-
cens2 vocem, exultanti animo ad eum dixit, " Nunc dimitte
servum tuum, Domine, in pace." Fratres autem sonitum3
tantum auribus capientes, nee tamen verborum discrimen
intelligentes audierant, enim eos colloquentes pariter exter-
riti ceciderunt in terram. Tune angelorum concentibus
1 Sacrata, N. 2 Noscet, N. 3 Sonum, N.
VITA SANCTI DAVID. 141
odorisque saporiferi et fragrantia tola impletur civitas.
Sanctus autem episcopus1 clamans voce magna, erecta in
celum mente loquitur, " Domine Jesu Christe, accipe spiri-
tum meum." Angelus iterum, conspicua voce, fratribus in-
telligentibus, inquit, " Prepara te, et percinge kalende
Martii, Dominus noster Jesus Christus multa constipatus
angelorum militia, in obviam tibi adveniet." His auditis,
fratres concussis singultibus nimium fecerunt planctum ;
ingens exoritur tristitia, fletibus civitas redundat, dicens2
" Sancte David, episcope, aufer tristitiam nostram." Ille
autem demulcens eos blandisque consolationibus, sustollens
aiebat, " Fratres, constantes estote, jugum quod accepisits
unanimes3 ad finem perducite, quecunque vidistis et audis-
tis custodite,4 et implete." Ab ilia ergo hora, usque ad
diem obitus sui in ecclesia remanens omnibus predicabat.
Amen.
Fama itaque per universam Brittaniam, Hyberniamque
velocissime in una die portata est ab angelo, dicens, "Scitis
quod in sequenti ebdomada dominus noster, David agius de
hac luce migrabitur ad Dominum.5 Tune concursus sancto
rum unclique, veluti apes, procella imminente, alveario, ac-
cedunt,6 et ad sanctum patrem visitandum velociter festi-
nant ; lacrimis civitas exundat, ulutatus ad sidera resonat ;
juvenes ut patrem, senes ut filium lugent ; die autem inter-
veniente Dominica, audiente maxima multitudine nobilissi-
mam faciens predicationem, intemeratis manibus dornini-
cum sacrabat corpus ; participate autem corpore et san
guine Domini, mox dolore correptus infirmabatur ; finito
officio, benedictoque populo alloquitur omnes dicens,
" Fratres mei, perseverate in his que a me dedicistis, et
mecum vidistis; ego tertia feria in kalendis Martii, patrum
viam ingrediar ; vos valete in Domino, ego autem proficis-
car; in hac terra nunquam nos amplius ^isuri sumus."
Tune omnium fidelium vox erecta est in luctum et in
lamentationes, dicens, "O utinam absorberet nos terra, com-
. 2 Resultat, N. a Unanimes deest N. 4 Custodite deest, N.
5 Migrabit ad cdum, N. ° Procedunt, N.
T
142 VITA SANCTI DAVID.
bureret nos ignis, cooperiret nos marc. O utinam subita
irruption(3 mors corriperet nos, utinam monies irruerent
super nos." Omnes pene succumbebant morti; a nocte
vero dominica usque ad quartam post ejus obitum feriam,
flebiles, jujuni, vigiles, omnes permansere, advenientes ;
veniente itaque tertia feria, ad pullorum cantus, angelicis
civitas impletur choris, celicis modulata cantibus, odore re-
ferta suavissimo. Matutina vero hora, clero psalmorum
ymnos et cantica1 reddente, Dominus Jesus sui presentiam
ad patris consolationem impertiri, ceu per angelum pro-
miserat, dignatus est. Eo viso totus in spiritum exultans,
"Tolle me," inquit, "post te." Cum his verbis, Christo
comite, vitam Deo reddidit, atque angelica comitatus cater-
va, celestia petiit limina.
O Quis tune ferre sanctorum fletus et gravia suspiria
anachoritarum, gemitum sacerdotum, rugitus discipulorum
dicentium a quo docebimur, planctum peregrinorum dicen-
tium, "A quo adjuvabimur;" desperationem regum dicen
tium, "A quo ordinabimur, corrigimur, instituemur; quis
dementi ssimus pater sicut David, quis interpellet pro nobis
ad Dominum." Lamentationes populorum, ululatum pau-
perum, vociferationes infirmorum, clamorem monarchorum,
lacrimas virginum, conjugatorum, penitentium, juvenum,
juventarum, puerorum, puellarum, infantium sugentium
mamillas ; Quid moror, Omnium vox una plangentium erat;
reges enim ut arbitrum lugebant, seniores ut fratrem
plangebant, adolescentes ut patrem ilium honorabant qui-
nimo quem omnes ut Deum venerabantur. Corpus itaque
ejus sanctorum fratrum ulnis apportatum, magno cori-
stipatum comitatu, honorifice terre mandatum in sua se-
pelitur civitate. Anima vero ejus sine ullo decidui evi ter-
mino per infinita coronatur secula seculorum. Ipse nos suis
sanctis intersessionibus conjungat angelorum civibus, cujus
devote celebramus solempnitatem in terris,2 prestante Deo et
Domino nostro Jesu Christo, cui est honor et gloria per in
finita secula seculorum. Amen,
1 Unimos ad cantica, N. 2 In terris desimt, N.
VITA SANCTI DAVID. 143
Hec et alia plura, dum corruptibile, et aggravans ani-
mam gerebat habitaculum, sanctus operatus est pater
David. Sed ex pluribus, pauca ad restringendam arden-
tium sitim vili sermonis vasculo ministravimus, veluti cum
quisque angustioris1 finale gremio,1 emanantem perpetuo
fonte fluvium ad siccum haurire nequit, ita cuncta mira-
culorurn signa, ac devotissimam virtutum operationem, pre-
ceptorumque observantiam, nullus quamvis stilo ferreo,
cartis mandare poterit. Sed hec, ut diximus, ex plurimis,
pauca omnibus ad exemplum et patris gloriam, in unum col-
legimus,2 que in vetustissimis patrie, maxime ipsius civitatis,
sparsim inventa scriptis, que assidua tinearum edacitate,
ac annosis evitere braminibus per horas et cardines corrosa ;
ac ex antique seniorum stilo conscripta nunc usque super-
sunt, in unum cumulata; veluti ex florigero diversarum
herbarum horto, quasi subtilissime apis rostro sugens, ad
tanti patris gloriam et aliorum utilitatem ne pereant colle-
gi. Ea vero que continuis temporum intervallis, deposita
carnis sarcina, ac contemplata facie ad faciem deitate tan-
turn verius agit et operatus est, quantum Deo conjunctius
inherescit ex multorum relatione3 qui voluerit, agnoscere
poterit. Michi autem, qui Bicemarchus nominor, quique
ingenioli mei capacititem4 his quamvis temerarius subdidi,
quicunque hec devota perlegerint mente, precibus deferant
juvamen, ut quia patris veluti verni dementia ad pauxillum
intelligence florem estivo carnis ardore pervexit, tandem me
ante mei cursus terminum, exsiccatis concupiscentie vapo-
ribus, ad frugem bone messis maturis operibus perducat; ut
cum messores separata inimici zizania, horrea celestis
patrie purgatissimis impleverint manipulis, me veluti novis-
sime messis fasciculum intra celestis porte atrium, conspecto
sine fine Deo, collocent, qui est benedictus super omnia
Deus in secula seculorum. Amen.
1 Ang-usti cestioris. 2 Condiximus, N. 3 ftevelatione, N.
4 Capacitate.
144 VITA SANCTI DAVID.
*DE GENEALOGIA SANCTI DAVID.
Incipit Genealogia Sancti David, archiepiscopi tocius
Brittanie, Dei gratia, et predestinatione. David fait filius
Sant, Sant filius Cheretic, Cheretic filius Cuneda, Cuneda
filius Etern, Etern filius Patern, Patern filius Peisrud,
Peisrud filius Docil, Docil filius Gurdeil, Gurdeil filius
Dumn, Dumn filius Guordumn, Guordumn filius Amguoil,
Amguoil filius Amgueret, Amgueret filius Omid, Omid
filius Perum, Perum filius Dobun, Dobun filius lotiguen,
louguen filius Abalach, Abalach filius Fugen, Fugen filius
Fudolen, Fudolen filius Fugen, Fugen filius sororis Marie.
Explicit Vita Sancti David Episcopi et Confessoris.
MlSSA DE EODEM.
Deus, qui beatum confessorem tuum David, atque pontifi-
cem, angelo nuntiante, Patricio prophetante triginta annis
antequam nasceretur, predixisti, quesumus ut cujus memo-
riam recolemus, ejus intercessione ad eterna gaudia per-
veniamus per secula seculorum.
Hostias laudis, et preces devotionis quas tibi in honore
beati confessoris tui David, atque pontificis omnipotens
Deus deferimus, placatus intende, et quod nostrum non
optinet meritum, tua dementia, et illius pro nobis frequens
intercessio efficiant."
POST COMMUNIONEM.
Repleti, Domine, sacramenti participatione, quesumus ut
sancti David confessoris tui atque pontificis meritis, cujus
gloriosam celebramus festivitatem, ineffabilis misericordie
tue patrocinia sentiamus.
1 lleli^ua Scripta desunt, N.
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VII.
INCIPIT VITA SANCTI GUNDLEII, REGIS ET CONFESSORIS. IIIIo.
KALEND. APRILIS.
1. DE divisione hereditatis.
rex Gliuusus Australium Britonum genuit
filium, successorem suum Gunlyu eximium, a cujus vo-
cabulo nominata est regio Gunlyuuauc per evum. Hie floruit
films dum puer ut flosculus, dum juvenis ut flos uberrimus
in florido, florebant flores, crescebant leges ut fruges de
floribus; adolevit etas juvenilis in regali militia. Iste geni-
tus celeberrime ex utraque linea, mater enim Celebris nobi-
lisima; ut genitoris sic genitricis prosapia, nee mirum, si cla-
reret clarior aureo metallo cum processsit, lisec amborum talis
generatio. Post obitum genitoris clarissimi, unusquisque
filiorum contendebat dominari; hereditas divisa est cum
fratribus in pagis enumeratis septem vicibus; hie partitor
conveniens in fratrum collegio, nullus expers sed particeps
ex jure hereditario. Major natu posset totum continere, sed
nolebat suos fratres supprimere ; non subpressor, sed nutri-
tor parentele elevabat generates ex genere ; omnes fratres
parebant ejus imperio, ille tamen princeps dominator, ipse
dignus dominio. Septem pagos rexit Gulatmorgantie, su-
1 Ex. Cott. Lib. Brit. Mus. VESPASIAN A. XIV. col. cum TITUS, D. XII.
a Wallice, St. Gwynllyw.
146 VITA SANCTI GUNDLEII.
um proprinm et confratrum ratione; cuncti cives fuerunt
legiferi, nemo ausus tune nocere alter! ; si nocuisset patere-
tur judicium, non oblique pro mercede amitteret patrimo-
nium. Pax firmata nulle lites in ejus tempore, rex pacifi-
cus, rex irigenuus, gubernator curie, curia regalis fundata est
in altissimo loco, ambita nemoribus et decorata promontorio ;
arduus locus ille in situ arduo, sed altior qui sedebat in aule
solio. Triumphator per bella famosissimus, post triumphum
pacificus; ille victor nunquam victus; compatriote gloria-
bantur in tali domino, frequenter munificati redibant omni
annuo circulo. Numerositas familiar non posset ad fmitum
numerum certificari in aulis, et in domibus nequibant collo-
cari, sed tentoria per compestria consueta erant ad collocan-
dum affigi.
2. De desponsatione conjugis.
Dum voluit communi consilio civium uxorare, misit lega
tes ad Brachanum regem Bregcheiniacensium; dum audita
fuerat mansuetudo, et pulchritudo Guladus sue filie; ilia
postulata, et promissa est conjugalis, data fuit ut frueretur
legalibus nuptiis. Post nuptias nupta concepit; post con-
ceptionem filium feliciter Cadocum generavit. Generati
bone indolis sic crescebant etates; qualis prima, talis ultima,
optima non dissimilis; sanctitas sanctissimi viri chorusca
fuit miraculis supereminens pre omnibus suis contempo-
raneis. Studebat ammonere parentes ut postponerent tran-
sitoria; ammoniti verbis nati proposuerunt spernere omnia
caduca. Frequentabat referre, "Talia que tenetis non du-
rabunt, requirite perpetua; regnum istud transibit quasi
venti flamina, non redibit ut maneat, recedet cum tristitia.
Letabimini gloriantes in celesti gloria si conemini prome-
reri, abluentur crimina; hujus regni vos conturbant deKcia3;
ut succrescunt evanescunt cotidie, Mementote cum terrore
adveniet dies ultimus, incendetur, comburetur totus mun-
dus flammivomus. Quis non timeat ardorem ignis purgatorii,
apropinquat hie timendus et terribilis humano generi,
caveatis, deitatis incendia sunt cavenda, sunt vitauda peri-
VITA SANCTI GUNDLEII. 1 47
cula." Post tanta hortamenta filii inspirati sunt divinitus,
desiderantes magis servire Deo quam regere humanitus.
3. De visione angelica.
Interea nocte quadam dum sopirent in thalamo, vox an
gelica aloquitur sopientes continue, " Rex celestis, rector
terrestrium, hue me misit ut converterem vos terrestres ad
celeste servicium ; vos invocat et invitat sicut pater filium,
vos elegit et redemit intrans in patibulum ; nollet ergo ut
redempti passione Dominica dampnarentur, nee haberent
que promisit gaudia. Nunc consequentes sequamini vesti
gia, vestigetis, teneatis hec inventa; hec inventio inventores
allevat ad ardua ; non promittit quin ascendant, relinquentes
devia ; via vera preterita non hec via, sed obliqua, hec de-
ludit, hec retrudit ad tartara. Ostendam vobis rectam tra-
mitem quo teneatis de qua invenistis hereditatem; hereditas
perdita a protoplasto restauretur, impleatur a perdito ; amo-
do nulla sit perditio, jam subvenit, vos erexit redemptio;
erecti ergo eregite mentes vestras, pro caducis ne condem-
netis animas. Pressuras animarum diligunt, qui fuerunt
cum Lucifero dejecti; expellantur invasores crudelissimi,
quorum velle nunquam impleatis ; hos fugate vos victores
cum triumphis; triumphatores ergo die crastino cum sur-
rexeritis. Sic precipio, destituite secularia que tenetis."
4. De mansionis situ ab angelo Gundleio designate.
"Circa ripam flumineam adest quidam monticulus; ibi
stare videbitur bos Candidas ; una labes in fronte ardua de-
nigrata sub cornibus, felix signum omne bonum designat
obviantibus. Tellus ilia quam tenebis nunc inculta, recole-
tur a bobus, territorium appellabitur his ostensis rationibus."
Mane experectus revocavit ad memoriam sompnium, et
familiaribus diligenter recitavit visum ; his auditis et omni
bus lugubriter condolentibus, deseruit regale palacium;
regimine concesso, et commendato Sancto Cadoco, suo filio,
ad regendum. Inde conversus migravit donee pervenit ad
predictum ab angelo monticulum, ut illico ibi permaneret
148 VITA SANCTI GUNDLEII.
predestinatum. Illi adventanti obviavit bos candidus cum
macula nigra in fronte ardua, ut predixerat angelus ; nomen
istud ergo Dutelicli1 imposuit territorio, scilicet a nigredine
et a fronte et a bove obvio; ut impositum est ab illo hujus-
modi vocabulum, sic nominatum fuit a succedentibus, et
adliuc nominatur eodum vocabulo. Hoc bove viso Sanctus
Gunlyu hilarescit, et celestem nuncium vera predixisse fir-
mavit; roborat animum, diligit Deum, quern diligere debuit;
vilipendit seculum hoc transitorium, quod plus nocet quam
proficit. Inde dicebat.
5. De bovis auspitio.
"Hie bos agricola designat rura colenda; fungens cultura
dat signa colentibus arva. Littora cum campis, nemus et
cum saltibus altis cernuntur late, non est respectus in orbe
qualis in hoc spatio quo debeo nunc habitare ; felix ergo
locus, habitat felicior hide." His dictis pro legatione divina
et concessione Dubricii, Landavensis episcopi, remansit
construens habitaculum, et consequenter signavit cimiterium
et in medio tabulis et virgis fundavit templum, quod visita-
bat assidue cum frequentationibus orationum.
6. De penitentia Sancti Gundlei, et Gladuse uxoris sue.
Guladus uxor nobilissima, et feminarum castissima, pariter
catholice religioni dedita, voluit tamen prope Sancti Gunliiu
habitationem manere; nee multum longe uno tantum stadio
distante, et discedente Domino et conversante adivit ripam
Ebod fluminis; ubi habitavit construens quse necessaria
erant in utrisque Dei et hominum edificiis; ambo vivebant
religiosissime, abstinentes, et jejunantes omni jejunandi
tempore. Injuncta est illis talis penitentia, inprimis uteren-
tur cilicio et pane ordeaceo ex cinere in tertia parte mixto
et aqua, omni hora nona consituta ; carices fontanee erant
illis in pulmentaria dulces herbe, sed dulcissime que trahe-
bant ad premia. Facies amborum pallebant, ut languentes
1 In Brittannico sermone Du, niger, Tal frons, Ilych bos. Inde componitur Dwtelich, a
bove tali viso.
VITA SANCTI GUNDLEII. 149
febribus, non hie languor sed sanitas roborat intrinsecus;
roborati constringere corpora desideria consueti se lavare
aqua frigidissima: quando frigesceret hyemps pruinosa, non
tune minus se abluebant quam in estate fervida. Nocte
enim media surgebant de lectulis, et redibant post lavacrum
lateribus frigidissimis, inde induti visitabant ecclesias, exo-
rando et inclinando usque diem ante aras. Sic ducebant
vitam heremitariam, fruentes labore proprio, nichil sumentes
ex alieno.
7. De admonitione Sancfci Gundlei.
Sanctus Cadocus, abbas Nancarbanensis, utrumque ten-
ens regimen et abbaciam Nancarbanicseque vallis, frequent-
abat visitare parentes suos, quos confortabat, et ammonebat
divinis eloquiis, ne deficerent in inceptis, intermiscens crebro
istud evangelicum preceptum audientibus illis, "Non incho-
antibus bona corona promissa est, sed preseverantibus in
bonum." Dicebat itaque, sepissime, "Perseverate, ut incep-
istis, ut coronemini cum sitis coronandi, estote ergo coronati ;
nonne videtis transire dies seculi, potentes deficient, quasi
nunquam fuissent confortati; quid est secularis potentia
respectu future beatudinis nisi delusio maxima ; deluduntur
enim qui diligunt talia, hodie vivunt, non victuri crastina
die. Que infelicitas, et tanta miseria, si caligine ammittant
celestica; vos non perdetis celorum gaudia futuri celicole,
et dextrales in dextera parte, mentionem teneatis de ser-
mone summi Judicis, qui dicturus hunc sermonem judican-
dis, "Venite, benedicti Patris mei, percipite regnum, quod
vobis paratum est ab origine mundi," et cetera,
8. De iterata interpolation e beati Gundleii, et Gladuse
uxoris sue.
Hec et talia cetera repetens, noluit ut tanta vicinia esset
inter illos, ne carnalis concupiscentia invisi hostis suasione
a castitate inyiolanda perverteret animos. Propterea ex-
hortatus matrem destituere primum conversationis locum, et
ammonita nati consilio destituit totum, relinqtiens ibi sane-
150 VITA SANCTI GUNDLEII.
timoniales scptem inter virgines et castas Deo ad serviendum.
Delude tetendit ad montanam solitudinem, circa spacium
septem stadiorum a primo loco distantem, ubi elegit habita-
tionis locum, et signato cimiterio in honore Sancta? Marise,
construit templum ; ibi nullos videbat preter suos servientes
et bestias, jejunabat, exorabat, quia nulla obsistebat adver-
sitas. Ad voluntatem suam necessaria mittebantur, illi a
filio non destituebat sanctam mentem hujus evangelici pre-
cepti mentio; quod ita ostendit, "Honora patrem tuam, et
matrem tuam, ut sis longevus super terrain." Majorem
curam habebat in parentibus quam in semetipso universis
temporibus; letabatur augeri religionem in ambobus, plus
congaudens quam in suis operibus. Opera eorundem ful-
gebant precipua extra terminos etiam Brittanie ubique
recitata ; dum vero liberati a earnali sarcina relocari meru-
erunt in celesti gloria.
9. De eruptione laticis Sancti Gundleii deprecationibus.
Venerabilis Sanctus Gundlyu conquerebatur die quodam
pro ariditate monticuli, in quo habitabat; scilicet quia fon-
tana aqua carebat, querimonias et orationes exaudivit altis-
simus auditor. Interea dum sederet in campo quodam die
sitiens nimium, et volens sitim extinguere, pupugit terram
aridam ex baculi cuspide. Post hoc factum vidit fontem in
eodem loco liquidissimum effluere, qui nunc manet, et ma-
nebit sine intermissione. Uncle nominatus, et nominatur
Fons Gundliu, quern Deus largitus est Sancti oratione.
10. Qualiter Sanctus Dubricius episcopus, et Cadocus in
extremis beatum Gundleium visitaverunt, et de obitu ejus.
Cum inciperet Sanctissimus Gunlyu egrotare, accedente
termino suse vitae, misit propter filium suum Cadocum, et
propter Dubricium Landavensem episcopum. Venerunt
autem egrotantem dantes ei penitentiam, exortando, et con-
fortando per salubrem doctrinam. Post hanc datam dedit
episcopus absolutionem, et apostolicam benedictionem. His
finitis, venerabiliter per ordinem egressa est anima beati
VITA SANTCTI GUNDLEII. 151
Gunlyu de corporeo thalamo, in quo manebat, splendent!
angelico fulgore IV kalendorum Aprilis, consociatus est per
ethera, ut requiesceret in eterna requie. Postea corpus ejus
fuit sepultum in pavimento ecclesise, ubi crebra visitatio
angelica visa est circa locum sepulturse, et egroti diversis
infirmitatibus sani effecti sunt ab omni languore.
11. De quodam carminum compositore ex gestis Sancti
Gundleii.
Britannus quidam versificator Britannice versificans, com-
posuit carmina a sua gente, et Britannico sermone lauda-
bilia de conversatione Sanctissimi Gunlyu, et de miraculis
conversati que Deus pro illius amore concessit pperari, non-
dum eadem finita erant carmina a compositore; quarta
enim pars carminum defuerat in compositione, quesierat
autem materiam compositurse, non fuit tamen facultas inge-
nii ultro invenire. Interea marina undositas vehementissima
cum fortissmo rigore, contexit campestria, summersit cunc-
tos habitatores et edificia; equi cum bobus, boves cum equis
natant in aqua; matres tenebant filios pre manibus, fluctus
occupant, nee ibant ulterius. Quantus dolor et quanta mi-
seria qui ibi turic vivebaut, fiunt cadavera. Inter templum
Sancti Gunlyu et Saverna nullus vivens venit ad silvam pre-
ter predictum compositorem per Sanctissmi Gunlyu gra-
tiam. Nam cum videret undositatem altissimam imminere,
manens inter maritima SavernaB, incepit quartam partem
carminum componere, timens submergi tune pro timore.
Dum incepisset impleta est fluctibus; post hsec ascendit
trabes superius, et secutus est iterum tumens fluctus tercio
super tectum, nee cessat ille fungi laudibus. Illis finitis,
Britannus poeta evasit, domus fulciens stabilivit; ceteras
autem domas unda snbvertit et dissipavit.
12. De ultione piratarum qui ecclesiam Sancti Gundlei
spoliaverunt.
Grifudus rex Guinodocie expulsus ab omnibus finibus
Britannie ex bello, et pro timore timens insidias quas inimici
152 VITA SANCTI GUNDLEII.
meditabantur illi inferre, Willelmo rege antique Anglorum
regnante, Anglicis devictis et subjectis pro eodem victore,
navigavit ad Orcades insulas cum festinatione, devitando
hostes crudelis victorie, volens tutari et frui tutamine. Illico
manens inter utrumque, cupiens predari et non construere,
vindicare preparans pro expulsione, commovuit multos in-
sulares ad piraticam artem, ad litale lucrum et invasionem.
Nequiter itaque congregati, et commoti, ex congregatis in-
vasoribus vigenti quatuor longis navibus impletis, Grifudo
ducente, navigaverunt per mare Hybernicum, et post im-
mensam et formidolosam navigationem pervenerunt ad
Safrinicum fretum interluens ripes Gulatmorcanensium. In-
de per longitudinem freti transfretantes, avidissime ten-
dentes ad predas in ostio fluminis Uisc, submerserunt
anchoras. Classe retenta, capiunt bipennes, et lanceis ar-
mati viriliter ambiunt campos et silvas. His ambitis con-
gregunt predaciones maximas; fugiunt indigene cauti per
excubias, et incauti ducuntur ad classem per manus impias.
Pirati nequissimi videntes ecclesiam Sancti Gunlyu esse
seratam, existimantes res preciosas esse intrinsecus ad secu-
ritatem et custodiam, fregerunt seram, et intraverunt post
fracturam. Quicquid preciosum et utile repertum fuerat,
rapuerunt; post rapinam sacrilegam templum Dei spoliatum
deseruerunt.
Deinde regressi sunt onerati ad naves, magis ponderati
sceleribus quam in oneribus graves. Pondus erat ibi ne-
quitise omnibus deferentibus intolerable lucrum \idebatur,
dulce et carum lucrantibus, amarum immo amarissimum
futurum transgressoribus. Anchoris resolutis cum velorum
relevatione remeaverunt congaudentes ad Barrenam insu-
lam ; nulla gaudia neque solacia ibi congruebant, sed mesti-
tia gravissima post rapinam. Dum hinc inciperent vela
erigere, et ad Orcades insulas, et ad Hiberniam remeare,
videbant virum terribilem equitantem die et nocte, et per-
sequentes illos ex omni parte; eques iste terribilis Sanctus
erat Gunlyu, qui celitus missus fuerat ut obsisteret sacrilegis.
Naves erant velate, sed velamina nequibunt per ventoso ri-
VITA SANCTI GUNDLEII. 153
gore ventis resistere ; quanto remiges plus regebant remi-
gium, tanto amplius undositas retrudebat per trans versum ;
navalia instrumenta quassabantur tremula. Dicebant tre-
mentes naute, " Hie apparet nequitia, nos oppugnamus ad-
versa, et iniquorura non proficit pugna." Quedam enim ex
navibus prorupte fuerant ex rupibus; unaqueque autem
prora ruebat in alteram que coacta humanis nisibus. Tota
classis submersa est mentis illorum exigentibus, exceptis
duabas de classe navibus antequam pervenirent ad optatum
litus. Iste due evaserunt, et potuerunt devitare periculum;
vix enim Grifudus illas possidebat, qui tantum interfuerat
non vastavit, tamen nee particeps rapine voluit esse; nee
intravit templum, sed expectabat in littore cum suis sociis
piratorum adventum; iste remeans post intervallum tempo-
ris, et pacificans Willelmo regi Anglise, nuntiavit miracula
quse manifeste viderat peracta pro Sanctissimi Gundlju
sanctitate.
13. De anchora in templo posita, et non visa, et sangui-
neis caseis.
In tempore Grifudi, regis fortis tocius Wallie, Edwardo
rege Anglie regnante, mercatores frequenter veniebant de
Anglia, et in portu ostio fluminis Uysc commutabant com-
mercia ; post finita, reddebant theloneum, et si non reddi-
dissent constitutum consuetudinarium, non habituri amplius
essent licentiam applicandi ac mercandi per ostium. Con-
tigit autem una vice quod nolebant reddere. Hoc audito
Rigrit, filius Imor, nepos Grifudi regis, egressus est ad
ostium cum furore, et plenus indignatione precepit reddi
debitum, nee pro precepto reddiderunt. Postea in derisione
regni, et in dedecore Angligenarum, amputavit funem an-
chorse, et anchoram solutam fecit deferri ad Sancti Gunlyu
templum. Naute reversi et mercatores ad Haraldum
Comitem nuntiaverunt illatum dedecus, et derisionem;
Comes igitur malivolus commotus per furorem nimium, et
vindicare volens, congregavit exercitum. Hoc congregato
irruit in Gulatmorgantiam, hostiliter disponens conburere,
154 VITA SANCTI GUNDLEII.
et devastare regionem totam ; hoc commotione audita indi
gene detulerunt res suas ad sanctorum refugia. His delatis,
fugerunt, et latuerunt per nemora; postquam venit exerci-
tus, combussit et vastavit, nulli parcens, totum rapiens quod
invenit. Interea sera fracta, quidam de vastantibus intra-
verunt ecclesiam venerabilis Gunlyu; vestibus, et cibariis,
et multis preciosis rebus plenam; his visis quasi lupi avidis-
simi ad rapinam rapuerunt omnia que viderant intra eccle
siam. Anchora vero predicta que fuit origo vastationis et
rapine a nullo fuit visa, et erat tamen in interiori angulo
ecclesise. Casei divisi sunt a predonibus; dum inciderentur
vero apparuerunt sanguinei intrinsecus; obstupefactus est
totus exercitus, reddens omnia qua? rapuerat promptis ma-
nibus. Insuper de suis obtulit altari Comes Haraldus in
primis conpunctus penitentia formidabili, inde regressus est,
vehementer timens rnajorem vindictam, promittens nun-
quam violaturum esse refugium venerabilis templi ; continuo
in proximo mense pro ilia nequitia, et pro aliis transgressi-
onibus devictus est in bello Hastingensi a Willelmo rege,
et interfectus.
14. De obsecratione violaturis ecclesise Sancti Gundleii
sacrorum vestimentorum ablatione.
Ednyvein Guinedoticus, Carodoci regis Gulatmorganen-
sium familiarissimus, diabolica suasione transversus, fracta
sera intravit noctu ecclesiam Sancti Gunlyu, et post nefan-
dum introitum rapuit calicem, et ecclesiasticas vestes, ad
sui dampnum, non lucrum. Inde cum iniquo onere re versus
est repetens iter nequissimum. In itinere autem videbat
mare sibi obvium fluctuans, et supereminens contra vultum;
in tantum tandem vertebatur ex visa marina occupatione
donee remeavit ad limina violate ecclesie. Hebetatus ergo
introivit, et ante altare ex sacratis indumentis se induit, et
de stolis quasi ex ferreis compedibus circumligavit. Hora
matutina dum intrasset sacerdos ecclesiam, illuminante
candela, vidit injustam formam non ut deberet vestiri ves-
titam ; hac visa, tremefactus est nimium, et signo sancte
VITA SANCTI GUNDLEII. 155
crucis signatus, comfortavit pectus tremulum; in timore
positus, repetivit ostium, et in ostio magno clamore vocavit
clerum, Clero adveniente et admirante ex tanta vocifera-
tione, interrogatus, enarravit talia, dicens, " Quidam ignotus
manet in ecclesia non vestibus laicali sed veste sacra, nescio
cur contigit aut mente benevolo aut sit impeditus propria
malitia." His auditis, clerus introivit videns eundem in-
sensibilem, et continue visum tenuit; captum itaque duxit
et confitentem suam culpam ut judicaretur ad Caradoci
regis curiam. Quidam ibi judicabant exoculari ; alii vero
collaudabant obtruncare utramque manum ; sed Herwaldus
Landavensis Episcopus illico assistens, non concessit tale
opus peragi. Deus verax judex rectius fecerat judicari vere
rectius, et celeste judicium factum est de sacrilego, dum
transgressus, hebefactus absque sensu proprio. His dictis,
a presule judicante liberatus est malefactor a regio carcere,
et miseram suam vitam finivit in tali hebetudine, quia vio-
laverat privilegium sancti et ecclesia?.
15. De indignatione regis Willelmi in Caradocum sub-
regulum.
Tres legitimi milites Normanigene diifamati sunt nimi-
um insidias fecisse Willelmo antiquo regi Anglie post
victoriam habitam in Anglos in primo certamine ; hoc com-
perto, rex voluit capere, et incarcerare, et in captura, aut
profiterentur culpam fecisse, aut negarent valde. His des-
tinatis a rege, recognoverunt exercrabilem culpam, no-
lentes expectare capi, veneruut ad Caradocum, regem
Gulatmorganensium, in fugam ; ille recepit eos honorifice ;
fide data, nunquam jussu regio eos lesurum esse, quamvis
amitteret omnia que tenebat a rege. Rex itaque audiens
illos insidiatores pro imposita culpa confugisse, et Caradocum
regulum adiisse; ac eundem tale pactum supradictum ini-
que contra suum dominum confirmasse, misit legates, impe-
rans Caradoco, aut reducet captos, aut expelleret, ex sua
possessione ; sic dominari vellet in sua hereditate. Carado-
cus vero vir benevolus magis timens, et devitans infamiam
156 VITA SANCTI GUNDLEII.
quam regem dominum, noluit capere nee expellere extra
suum dominium, sed tenere honorare sicut suum filium.
His relatis a legatis Willelmo regi, indignatus et iratus
Caradoco principi, indignatione et ira comotus remisit
Willelmum Rufum suum filium adhuc juvenem strenuum,
tamen et bellicosum, cum immensa expeditione, et armatis
militibus ad Gulatmorgantiam, qua? devastata fuit et combus-
ta, amittens totampecuniam. Exercitus ergolassatus in reditu,
nocte quadam requievit fixis tentoriis circa beatissimi Gun
lyu ecclesiam ; villa erat hominibus vacuata, fugerant enim
ad nemora pro hostibus ad tutelam. Domus erant diversis
farris generibus plene ; unde accepta sunt habundanter, et
opposita in equinis pastibus ; non hie pastus immo fames
odiosa, nullus equus pregustavit de avena; summus Deus
noluerat aperiri domos clausas ; Sanctus Gunlyu exoravit
quern exaudivit Deltas. Hoc viso miraculo, Willelmus
Consul adhuc in primis obtulit preciosa munera Deo et ec
clesiam postulando misericordiam, et veniam de domuum
fractione. Totus subsequenter exercitus inclinavit se ante
altare, offerens cum penitentia et timore; ac promittens
Sancti Gunlyu terram amplius non violare, et talia qualia
antefecerant nunquam facturos fore ; hide timorati redier-
unt ad Angliam, magnificantes Sancti Gunlyu interces-
sionem magnificam.
16. Qualiter obtentu Sancti Gunleii decanus inscius
flumen permeavit intransmeabile.
Laicus quidam posuit calumpniam injuste in unam par-
tern terre, quam clerus beatissimi Gunlyu tenebat ex ra-
tione ; et pro calumpniis multociens impositis constituerunt
diem placitandi de calumpniata terra, ut per judicium expel-
leretur discordia. Interea decanus ecclessie visitavit curiam
Lisarcors apud inferiorem Guentoniam, convivio regali
functus ; sic consuetudo erat tune temporis per patriam.
Ultimo autem die convivii, ante predictum diem placitandi,
contra noctem retraxit crastini diei placlta ad mencionem,
dolens vehementer et timens perdere per suam dilationem
VITA SANCTI GUNDLEII. 137
calumpniatam tellurem, et perditurus esset, presertim qui-
dem, si non veniret ad terminatum diem. Tenuit tamen
suum iter equitando per tenebrosam noctem, pluvia et pro-
cellis resistentem, invocans Sancti Gunlyu sanctitatem,
donee transivit periculosum amnera, nesciens tamen trans-
isse divino numine flumen, humanis pedibus, et equinis intra-
nsmeabile nisi cum natatione, donee pervenit ad marginem.
Inde admirans et collaudans divinam potentiam cognovit
immensum lapidem, vie publice vicinum et immobilem.
Summo mane post misse celebrationem, tenuit decanus ter
minatum diem, et judiciali sententia ex laicali manu traxit
calumpniatam tellurem, que postea subjacuit, et subjacere
debuit ecclesie Sancti Gunlyu per rationem.
VIII.
uitrti Slteti;
INCIPIT VITA ILTUTI ABBATIS,
1. De Copulatione Parentum, et nativitate Pueri.
TnttttS" provincia victoriosa, potens in armis, victrix Leta-
via, nulla potentior in laude bellica, sumpsit originem
a matre Brittannica. Erudita fuit a matre filia, sequitur
natam tota victoria: Brittanni principes, vigore pleni, no-
biles duces, sed nobilissimi quondam heredes postea exhe-
redati, amiserunt propria, ut alieni. Ex quibus claruit
Bicanus, miles famosissimus, illustris genere, et in armis
militaribus. Tota parentela sua processit ex precipuis prin-
cibus, nullus vero inferior ex precedentibus; quales enime-
rant primi, talis fuit et ultimus. Clarior et altior itaque
generatus ex talibus, debuit letari, qui potuit generari ex
nobilisissimis parentibus; floruit et prefuit in regali militia,
dlectus a rege, et a regina, magnificabant enim eum uni-
versi inpendentes preconia. Tantus vir eximie nobilitatis
voluit uxorare et hereditari ex filiis, velle complevit, uxo-
rem ducens filiam Anblaud, Brittannie regis Rieingulid;
hec vocata voce Brittannica, quando latinetur, sonat hoc
regina pudica. Dignissimum nomen impositum fuit prome-
1 Ex. Coll. Lib. Britt. Mus. VESPASIAN, A. IV. 2 Wallice, Illtyd.
VITA SANCTI ILTUTI. 159
renti, ante legales enim nuptias non adhesit alieno lateri.
Ludos despiciens, stabilis in thalamo materno paruit semper
imperio.
Quicquid namque dicebat congruum erat colloquio omne-
que quod agebat totum sub consilio ; puella optima absque
opprobrio nubilis matura digna marito. Digniorem ad des-
ponsandum nesciebant indigene, idcirco legati transierunt
Gallicum mare, reducunt puellam quasi margaritam preti-
osam et excellentem pulchritudine, reductam pulcherrimam
et mansuetissimam, coinmendant predicto principi nuptiali
honore. His legaliter perfectis conjunx legitima concepit,
et post conceptionem feliciter genuit filium ; sic arbor fruc-
tifera generat florem optimum. In catecuminatione pueri, et
post salutiferum lavacrum nominatus est infans, ILTUTUS;
videlicet ille ab omni crimine tutus, irreprehensibilis fuit in
quinque etatibus, laudabilis, atque amabilis ab universis ci-
vibus. Parentes voverunt commendare litteris, commend-
ant votivum et erudiendum in septem disciplinis. Post
eruditionem et disciplinalem scientiam sibi notam, postposuit
litterarum studium tendens at militiam, non obliviscens
tamen ulla que noverat, per ullam negligentiam. Vir tanti
erat memorie, audiens magistralem sententiam una vice
retinebat corde tenus omni tempore. Date sunt claves
quinque illi plenarie, quibus sapienter potuit ignota notifi-
care; nullus eloquentior per totam Galliam, Iltuto milite
recitante philosopliicam eloquentiam.
2. De visitatione ad curiam Arthuri regis, et Poulenti.
Audiens interea miles magnificus Artliurii regis sui con-
sobrini magnificentiam, cupivit visitare tanti victoris curiam,
deseruit quam vocamus Ulteriorem Britanniam, et pervenit
navigando ubi vidit maximam militum habundantiam. Ibi
dem quoque receptus honorifice, et munificatus ad desideri-
um militare; impleto autem desiderio capiendi munera,
recessit gratissimus a regali curia, capiens iter, pervenit ad
Poulentum, regem gulat Morcaniensium, sua uxore Tryn-
nihid comitante honesitissima. Rex videns ilium curialem
160 VITA SANCTI ILTUTI.
csse militem, atque honorabilem retinuit cum magna dilec-
tiono, diligens ilium pre omnibus familiaribus, et munificans
largiflue. Remansit igitur reverentissime donee innuit eligi,
et preesse regali familie; regebat familiam absque ullo liti-
gio, gubernator pacificus, et secundus a domino; evangelica
precepta reposita erant in militis pectore, indesinenter stu-
debat retinentibus recitare; recitata dirigebant audientes
ad perfectionem operum, perfecta relevabant complentes ad
celeste premium. Miles autem erat extrinsecus secundum
militarem habitum, intrinsecus vero sapientissimus Brittan-
nigenarum. Propterea constitutus a rege Poulento, magis-
ter militum propter subtilissimam facundiam, et incompa-
rabilem intellectum; nemo contemporaneus potuit comparari
ejus ingenio; hoc probatum, etfirmatam fuit doctorum tes-
timonio.
3. De Familia regis Poulenti, [quam terra deglutivitque
promissione firmata ad clericalem habitum post militiam
consilio Sancti Cadoci.
Contigit die quodam cum duceret familiam regalem
venando per territorium Sancti Cadoci, ilia quiescens, misit
ad abbatem preclarum cum rigidis verbis ut sibi prandium
dirigeret ; sin autem vi cibum tolleret. Sanctus vero Cado-
cus quamvis illi videbatur incongmum propter rigiditatem
verborum, et quasi de libero requirere tributum, tamen re-
misit familie quod sufficeret ad prandium. Hoc trarismisso,
familia discumbens voluit prandere, sed velle caruit comes-
tione; nam pro illicita petitione et sacrilega offensione tellus
deglutivit iniquam turbam qui omnino evanuit propter tan-
tarn nequitiam. Iltutus vero miles, et militum princeps
evasit, quia inique petitioni consentire noluit nee in loco,
in quo affuerat familia pastum expectando affuit, ceterum
procul aberat accipitrem quern plerumque sol u turn post vo-
latiles instigabat.
Hoc iniraculum Iltutus videns timuit, post visum graviter
de preteritis delictis compunctus, ad Sanctum Cadocum
gressum acceleravit, iuquirens, et genuflect endo, rogitans
VITA SANCTI ILTUTI. 161
ab illo consilia emendandi que dereliquit. At ille salu-
taris insistens consiliarius imprimis consuluit deserere
secularem habitum, postea repetere que postposuerat, ha-
bitum clericalem, et in toto vite sue spacio summo Crea-
tori servire propter eternam retributionem. Paruit humi-
liter dato consilio promittens firmiter adimplere in future;
deinde reversus ad Poulentum regem, habitaque licentia
subtraxit se a seculari servitio. Exinde rege condolente, et
regina et omnibus de sua recessione, venit tandem ad mar-
ginem Naudauani fluminis, uxore consotiante et armigeris.
Erat quidem tempus estivum, quamobrem composuit teg-
men ex arundineto ut non plueret super lectum; equi se
depascunt in pascuis, ut uterque jacet ad nocte dormiens
per sompno aggravantibus oculis.
4. De primo angelico adventu ad admonendum Iltutum.
Ante sopientem subito astabat angelus ammonens his
ammonitionibus, " Miles olim fueras celeberrimus a regibus
multis munificatus; nunc vero regi regum precipio ut ser-
vas, ampliusque transitoria non diligas : memento quod tui
parentes commendaverunt te clericali studio, studuisti, de-
ditus divino consortio, postea sprevisti non spernendum,
fungens hasta, et gladio. Non hec arma tibi data fuerant ab
armario, immo quinque claves tibi colate sunt sub magis-
terio; repete ergo quod deseruiste, ne capiaris occupatus
insidiis hostis invisi. Nam insidiator adest qui te conatur
illudere, te dampnare desiderans toto conamine ; te videt, tu
non vides corporali lumine, non caveas, et protegas, poterit
te destruere; nescis itaque incautus et deceptus ab inimico
Dei et hominum, invidet enim terrigenis atque celicolis,
quia perdidit sedile celiculum. Hie leone sevior, volatili
velotior, veneficus invisibilis rapit et retrahit rapta, quoque
recldere respicit, punit punibiles, pellito venenum post medi-
camentum more medentis, ut non appareat post medeciiiam
ulla cicatrix. Te quoque muliebris amor occupat, ut non con-
vertas ad Dominum ; quid est sane carnalis amor nisi horror,
et origo peccaminum; exardescit amans valde quasi ignis in-
162 VITA SANCTI ILTUTI.
cendium, res nocibilis res odibilis que ducit ad supplicium.
Non te ardeat, neque urgeat libido veneni fera ; uxor vestra
est decora, sed melior castimonia ; quis eligeret ut postpon-
eret pro tali eternalia; si videres enim earn nudam, non dili-
geris ut antea, hanc videto et post visum estimabere viliorem
postea. Que utilitas, et quam lucrosa felicitas inter hec
commercia, qui abstineat et destituat uxoralia connubia,
exaltabitur ac collocabitur in sede perpetua; die crastino
cum surrexeris, festinanter teneto tuum ad silvestrem quan-
dam vallem gressum versus occidentalem plagam ubi habe-
bis mansionem. Sic enim voluntas Dei, quum locus ille
conveniens, fertilissimus, habitabilis; hac de causa veni a
summo conditore, missus in hanc legatioiiem, ut talia cum
benevolentia denuntiem; nuntiam nuntiata ad impleto, et
de implendo nulla est dilatio."
5. De Adventu ad peremitariam vitam in valle Hodnant,
et conversatione ejusdem ex angelica adhortatione.
His dictis, angelus non comparuit; paululum nempe
Sanctus Iltutus expergefactus. Angelicum sermonem ad
memoriam revocavit, nee non illud dominicum preceptum
secum mente revoluit, " Qui diliget patrem et matrem,
fratres et sorores, uxorem et filios plusquam me, non est me
dignus," et cetera. Talia premeditans jussit uxorem surgere,
surgenti imperavit equos prospicere, luminari tanto fulgore
splendente, quod scire posset qualiter a custodibus custodi-
rentur in ilia nocte. Nuda migravit solutis crinibus quati-
nus prospiceret, et ut quod angelus jusserat adimpleri pos
set ; rediit ilia post conspectum, atque in reditu, vidit bea-
tus Iltutus corpus nudatum ventoso flamine dispergenti
crines circa latus femineum. Doluit dum aspexit mulieb-
rem formam, vilem computavit, talem adamasse vehemen-
ter penituit; vovet illam relinquere, votum promittit hujus
modi verbis adimplere, " Femina mine vilis, quondam
dilecta, suavis filia luxurie, letalis origo mine; enutrit
penam, quare si quis amaverit illam formula pulchra nimis
turpescit nunc muliebris."
VITA SANCTI ILTUTI. 163
G. De prima habitatione in valle Hodnant.
His quemadmodum relatum est peractis, voluit premissa
mulier intrare lee turn, volentem Iltutus expulit, quasi virus
serpentinum asserendo illam deserere, ac dicendo non
adherebis iterum. Porrexit illi indumenta, sedit induens
porrecta, licet tamen induta finxit se frigescere cum tremulo
pectore, quatinus per hanc occasionem possit in lecto denuo
collateralis jacere. Causam vero novit ille fictam, roborat
animum robore virtutum, capit victoriam viator unicus cui
comitabatur Deus, relictis onmrbus secularibus, tenuit viam
donee pervenit ad predictam vallem, Hodnant vocatam,
que nee sine ratione Latine son at vallis prospera. Circa
illam nulla montana nee clivosa inequalitas constituta, sed
campestris planicies fertilissima ; nemus erat densissimum
diversis arboribus insitum, quod erat habitatio crebra besti-
arum; fluvius interfluebat utrasque ripas amenissimus, et
fontes cum rivulo intermixte sub amenis cursibus. Post-
quam requievisset et conspexisset per omnia, placuit sibi
locus delectabilis, sicut angelus indicaverat superius in
sompniis. Hie nemus arboreum remanentibus illud apri-
cum, hie bona fertilitas circa campestria, rursum currit per
medium fluvialis cursus aquarum, hoc scio dicendum pul-
cherrimus iste locorum.
7. De Penitentia injuncta, et clericali habitu reeepto, et
de modo vigilandi et jejunandi, et de prima edificatione
templi.
Talibus visis, et sibi complacitis, adivit famulus Dei,
beatissimus Iltutus Dubricium Landavensis episcopum, qui
sibi penitentiam de transactis delictis injunxit, barbam
rasit, comam totondit, coronam benedixit. Postremo cleri
cali habitu suscepto, secundum angelicum preceptum in
sompno revelatum, coronatus, rediit ad eundem locum.
Construens in primis illico habitaculum, presule Dubricio
designante cemiterii modum, et in medio, in honore summe
et individue Trinitatis, oratorii fundamentum. His designa-
104 VITA SANCTI ILTUTI.
tis fundavit ecclesiam muniminc lapideo facto, et quadran
gular! super ambientem fossam. Post hec peracta, et ante
acta, vigilabat jejunando, assidue orabat sine intermissione,
erogans sua exigentibus largiflue ; laborabat propriis mam-
bus lieremita religiosissimus, non confidens in alienis labori-
bus. Nocte media ante matutinas abluebat se aqua frigida,
sic sustinens, quamdiu posset ter diei oratio dominica; de«
inde visitat ecclesiam, genuflectens atque orans summi
conditoris omnipotentiam. Tanta erat ejus religio quod
nunquam videbatur intendere in aliquo negotio nisi in
divino servitio; intentio tola in divinis scriptis quos adim-
plebat in operibus cotidianis; confluebant multi docibiles
erudiebantur doctissimi per septem artes.
8. De cervo mitigato per Sanctum Iltutum, et de prandio
regis mirifico in pisce et aqua.
Cum rex Merchiaunus, cujus prenomen Vesanus, die
quodam venaretur, instigavit suos canes post unum cervum;
ille exagitatus fugax preivit donee intravit Sancti Iltuti
cubiculum, quasi humano more querendo ab illo refugium;
post introitum jacuit mitigatus ante pedes ammirantis fati-
gatus pro canibus, ac formidabilis. Canes vero latrabiles.
foris expectabant venturum; sed tune cessabant a latratibus,
Rex audiens ultimum latratum secutus est, nimium admi-
rans latratus silentium repentinum; se quando vertit ad
heremum, ubi videns canes mitigatos et cervum, et quod
mirabilius de fera fieri mitem domesticum; iratus est valde
habitant! quia sine sua licentia habitaverat heremum, qui
venatibus aptior erat secundum ejus judicium, Incepit cer
vum petere, petitum tamen noluit sanctus Iltutus reddere,
licentiam vero iiitrandi concessit si vellet accipere; ille au-
tem timoratus, videns immensam pietatem viri beatissimi,
et tanta miracula presentialiter pro eo facta, quanquam
irascens, non intravit, sed potius largitus illi primum donum
datum divinitus, quod gratanter accepit. Idem cervus mi
tigatus a Sancto Iltuto, traxit vehicula, et in vehiculo edi-
ficiorum ligna.
VITA SANCTI ILTUTI. 1 65
Post hec prefatus rex esuriens prandere voluit, quern
Sanctus Iltutus ad prandium invitavit, invitatus humi liter
descendit, et a vesania quam solebat habere mitigatus, rese-
dit ; misit ministrum ad proximum stagmim, causa piscandi,
retraxit continuo cum rete piscem pinguem et eximium
cum pondere gravi; attractum et assatum apposuerunt regi,
appositum noluit gustare, quia siue pane et sale indeceus
sibimet videbatur apponi. At Iltutus panem et salem in.
ilia hora non habens, orabat, dicens, "Effector omnium
creaturarum, atque donator donandorum potest efficere si
gustaveris appositum, habeas in gustato pi see a me quod vis
habendum." His rogatibus auditis, non est ausus rex rebellis
respuere, seel comedit, et habuit diversorum generum cibo-
rum sapores in una specie; saciatus et sitiens repetivit
derisorie vinum aut medonem sibi propinari; at ille utroque
carens, precepit sibi dari de fontana aqua haustum, et eas-
dem preces quas super dixerat protulit iterum, ut ex aqua-
tico potu impleretur petentis desiderium. Potavit potus
sibi complacuit, et diversorum liquorum sapores vini et
medonis inprimis in aqua solummodo invenit.
9. De angelico adventu ad admonendum Merchiaunum
regem, et ad ipsius correptionem.
Post mirificam potationem, prescriptus rex dormitando,
dormium ad dormientem angelus celestis advenit, admonens,
et increpans, quern reprobavit, dicens, " Tu rex vesanus, et
nequissimus hactenus fueras, et nunc permanes, emendato
sic commendo, et emendationem ne differas; malles ut hie
bestie inutiles habitarent, quam Dei cultores, qui habi-
tare debent. Ne prohibeas, sed permittas remanere desti-
natum et concessum locum istum excolere ; si nolueris
concedendum concedere, destrueris nee longevus eris, et
absque progenie. Inpendito ergo licentiam remanendi, quia
vallis ista habitabitur usque in finem seculi; quis audeat
offendere, et expellere virum religiosissimum, et catholice
conversatum a suo loco desiderabili. Eligit ilium Deus, et
hue misit ut sibi servat in habitu heremitali; abbas insuper
1G6 VITA SANCTI ILTUTI.
erit venerabilis, magnificus et exaltabilis ; quicunque ilium
nocuerit, nisi emendetur, in perpetuum peribit. Caveto
itaque ne pereas, nullamodo nocumenta faciat tua rigiditas;
rigidissimus olim fuerat Golias, devicit tamen fortissimum
humilis puerilitas ; ilte fungebatur hasta et gladio, David
vero minima funda in pretio; puer parvulus confidens in
victorem summum, victor fuit confidendo, jactu fundali
manuum. Sic iste Iltutus, Dei famulus humillimus confidit
ut convincat per humilitatem quatinus hie maneat, et ha-
beat firmam stabilitatem ; non pugnat armis visibilibus,
melius luctatur invictis virtutibus. Virtuosus non timidus
in luctamine, pellit hostes armator justitie ; sanctior nemo
per totam Brittanniam beatissimo presenti, quia vivit regu-
lariter in regula monachili. Congregabuntur multi per suam
conversationem, refugium erit et sustamen, quasi columpna
fulciens domum stantem; inviolabilis erat ejus proctectio a
regibus, et a principibus in hoc regno; reges et principes
parebunt suo documento, subjecti populares adherebunt con-
silio; pacificus et mitior miti columba illuminabit ut can
delabrum splendidissimum, et quasi lucerna."
10. De excitatione regis ejusdem et concessione habi-
tandi.
His dictis ab angelo rex correctus a malitia, excitatus est
a somno talia audientibus proferendo, " Famule Dei, beatis-
sime Iltute, tibi concedo istam solitudinem libere pro sum-
ma et celesti retributione ; vidi visionem ambobus utilem,
voce angelica precipiente, quo te nullatenus oporteat lianc
vallem relinquere. Quamdiu regnavero non te offendam,
liberrime teneas lianc parochiam; constitue agricolas super
tellurem istam, nam tellus hie colenda, et nulla fertilior per
patriam; habundat culta in messibus, melliflua odorifera visa
in floribus, fertilis Italia, habundans frugibus, hec habunda-
tior, et moderatior, absque nimiis caloribus, frigus nimium
non confundit segetes, calor superfluus non extorret fruges
festinando maturavit incongruo tempore, gaudent messores
letiores messoribus Italie. Gaudeto igitur conversari in
VITA SANCTI ILTUTI. 167
tali tellure, gaudere debes, sic vaticinor, nam gaudebunt in-
numerabiles in tua conversatione ; tarn utilis conversatio
non fuit in his regionibus; predicabis dirigendo devios
doctrinis celestibus ; magistralis tibi cura concessa a ponti-
fice, hoc etiam concede et confirmo regali concessione.
Vestrum gimnasium erit venerabile, tributarii tibi servient,
et omnes indigene; confluent multi ex diversis partibus,
erudiantur documentis liberalibus; quamvis mine ignotus
sis, notus eris, te notificabo, et leteris." Inde moderabilis
Sanctus Iltutus non magis letus, sed moderanter se tenens
gratias omnipotenti Deo egit, et accipiens libenter quod rex
obtulit, exorando divinam clementiam, quo dignaretur mise-
reri ad indulgentiam de transactis criminibus que deligerat.
Postquam angelus talia dixisset, rex mollitus est ab ira per
angelicam correptionem; re versus est ad suam curiam mag-
nificans, et collaudans per manifesta miracula que viderat
summi conditoris omnipotentiam.
13. De constitution culture, et de numerositate familie.
Venerabilis itaque abbas Iltutus tune a nullo impeditus
mansit pacifice, colit et seminat, metit et vivit proprio labore,
statuit operarios cultores per agros agriculture; semina
multiplicand reddunt labores multa mercede; pascit egenos,
vescit nudos, visitat infirmos, et positos in carceres, centum
famialiares, tot operatores, clericos, et pauperes centenos
cotidie, hospitalis fuit promtissimus, nunquam negans hos-
pitalitatem exigentibus, largiter dabat quicquid dabant in
manibus, non commendans ad custodiendum ullis custodibus.
In largifluo pectore nulla erat nociva elatio, sed potius hu-
militas, benignitas, et inmaculata religio; confluebant ad
ilium scolares plurimi, quorum de numero quatuor iste,
Samson videlicet, Paulinus, Gildas et Dewi, studebant,
sapienter eruditi, aliique quamplures sicut illi.
12. De ecclesiasticis ordinibus receptis, et elevatione in
Abbatem.
Rebus crescentibus ad congruentiam, et ecclesiasticis ordini-
168 VITA SANCTI ILTUTI.
bus susceptis et insuper ordine monachili recepto per sancti-
tatem et gratiam. Abbas const! tutus venerabilis constituit
quinquaginta canonicos, qui congruis temporibus, et statutis
horis visitabant ecclesiam, habentes singulariter suas pre-
bendas, scilicet singuli suam villam cum beneficiis, qui
dabantur a populo ob tenendam animarum memoriam. An-
nua tributa dabantur Abbati, elata dividebat consuetudine
communi; annalia convivia preparabantur illi, invitabatque
ad preparata multitudinem indigentium, quibus indesinenter
donee quid largiretur deficeret precipiebat partiri.
13. De fractura fosse, mari irruente; et de recessione
maris, et ortu fontis per Sanctum Iltutum.
Talis prefata localis congruentia complacuit conversato
campum planiciebus undique ambientibus, et nemore inci-
duo mediato; affligebat tamen crebra equoris inundatio, et
fluviali appropinquante cimiterio. Inde dolore et timore
commotus ne occuparet et dilataret totam vallem ulterius,
operatus est immensam fossam limo et lapidibus mixtam,
quam retruderet irruentem undam, que solebat fluctuare
ultra mensuram, fluvio habente solummodo per medium
confluendi ad mare viam. Post peractum opus, rigiditas
fluctuosa confregit fossam; secundo renovavit, et refregit
undositas operationem secundam ; tertio repetivit, nee repe-
titio profuit, sed venit ad ruinam ; doluit Sanctus Iltutus,
talia dicendo, " Hie liabitare amplius nolo, vellem libentis-
sime, sed pro hac marina conturbatione offensus non potero,
destruet edificia, confluet in oratoria quam construximus
laboriose," Invocat et exorat celestem protectorem in auxi-
lium, ut consuleret ne relinqueret quern elegerat conveni-
entem locum.
Interea disponens die crastino recedere, nocte proxima,
dum sopiret curiose, vox angelica alloquitur sapientem tali
sermone, "Precipio tibi, et interdico, ne deseras quod vis
deserere ; non vult enim Deus ut recedas ab hac valle, quia
exaudite sunt vestre preces a summo auditori, qui liberat
omnes sibi confidentes, et exorantes, te liberabit ab hac
VITA SANCTI ILTUTI. 160
nociva, et anxia curiositate; crastino die postquam veneris
de oratorio baculum tenens festinanter ad mare fluctuans
tendito, quod fugabis per virtutem divinam ex minacl baculo,
pro te fugiet continuo sine reditu refluxionis ad consueta
loca iterato, quasi profugus formidabit apud sequente ini-
mico." Mane itaque summo, ut preceperat angelus in somp-
nio, tetendit ad equor fluctivagum; incepit ille procedere,
cepit mare fugere velut fuerat sensibile animatum; undosi-
tas quieta constitit et statio in littore fuit; quando vero litus
siccatum apparuit, cum baculo pupugit, subindeque citius
fons liquidissimus emanavit et salubris ad expellandos mor-
bos, qui sine defectione scaturiens manat, et quod mirabilius,
licet prope pontum sit, limpidum emittit. His peractis
beatissimus Iltutus genuflectens exoravit celestem Domi-
num, dicens, " Exigo a te, conditor summe, et universorum
dator donorum, qui confirmas data ad augmentum, ut in
hoc margine sit equoris confinium, et non revertatur illuc
ubi elegi habitationis stabilimentum; nee noceat, nee dis-
turbet, hie quiescat, hie remaneat applicatio navium." Con-
tigit ergo, ut postulavit, quod palustris ilia terra siccata,
ferax agricultura fuit, que vero non arabilis, pratum et
pabula jumentorum, clerus in ilia habundanter habuit.
Deinde re versus est electus Dei famulus gratias omnipotent!
Deo agens, et quiete, et prospere vivens ex conturbatione,
que non amplius accessit nee nocuit per virtutem Dei, et
orationem sanctissimi Iltuti, que inventa fuit sine macula,
ipso hujuscemodi verba dicente de operatione mirifica,
"Nunc habitare queo, nolui discedere; nolo, non mare turba-
bit, vicinia victa, recessit; unde nimis timui, non amodo
causa timendi ; edificare volo, non formidabilis ergo."
14. De querelis volucrum segetes decerpentium in cus-
todia abactorum.
Autumnali tempore, messe maturante, inceperunt volu-
cres messem Sancti Iltuti decerpere, et fere vacuatis spicis
deserere; hoc comperto, Sanctus Iltutus, de dampno doluit,
suisque scolaribus precepit alternatim singulis diebus custo-
170 VITA SANCTI ILTUTI.
dire in segetem, in assiduo fundati jactu lapidum per totum
diem. At discipulus Samson, cum teneret vicem suam,
volens implere magistrale preceptum per benevolentiam,
custodivit ut melius potuit, incolumem tamen et intactum
servare non valuit; querit divinum consilium et auxilium,
quo posset [concludere multitudinem volatilium, aliter nes-
ciens posse defendere peregre nocentium. Consuluit apud
semetipsum, inspiratus divino consilio, et invenit consulendo
quod efficere debuit; datum est illi divinitus agitare volati-
les de segete sine volatibus; temptant volare, nee potuere
ullis nisibus; tali a Samson benevolus videns, compulit illos
ante se abire, quasi domita quadrupedia spontanea voluntate;
coacti venerunt ad ostium, ostioque aperto intraverunt lior-
reum, sicut equi vel oves precedunt ante sequentes ; sicut
oves vel equi mitescunt gressibus usi; stant bene conclusi
volucres sine rete retenti ; virtus divina domuit que continet
astra. Cantant lugendo, jejunant esuriendo; cantus lugu-
bres fundunt in carcere digno; luctus in hac turba pro liber-
tate pretenda; penituit violasse nimis cerealia grana, liberat
Iltutus clausuris agmina lesa; non nocuere magis post hec
miracula facta.
15. De electione Samsonis in pontificem, et ortu fontis
ex ejusdem lacrimis, et corpore ejusdem advecto divino
nutu.
Post hoc miraculum ubique notificatum, venerunt legati
de Letavia, ut eligerent Samsonem juvenem nobilissimum
et irnmaculatum in omni vita sua, et electum constituerent
Dolensem episcopum, licentiam quoque flagitarent a magis-
tro suo Iltuto concedendi, pro fiduciali quam in patriotas
habebat dementia, quamquidem tune predicta ecclesia
egebat pontificali persona. Ille rogatus et invitus nequit
refutare, condolens et lacrimans cum legatis incepit migrare,
malens sub magistrali virga subjectus vivere quam in eccle-
siastice sedis altitudine perfrui pontificali honore. Dum
parumper quiescet in superiori parte vallis, loquens cum
doctore de multis preteritis ante separationem societatis
VITA SANCTI ILTUTI. 171
preceptoris, ultima verba tenens, persolatus cepit lacrimari,
donee lacrime ceciderunt in terram nimio fluxu fluviali la-
crimabile; unde fons illico erupit, emanavitque decurrens
quasi fluxu fluviali; qui appellatus est nomine ejusdem
Samsonis mirifici. Pro dilectione quoque eximia, quam in
doctorem karissimum habebat imperavit suum corpus post
venturam necem ad cenobium Sancti Iltuti deferri, et in
suo communi et delectabili cimiterio sepeliri. His ita per-
actis, ingressi sunt ad Dubricium Landavensis ecclesie epis-
copum, ut ab eo primos ecclesiasticos ordines reciperet, et
diaconatum, Dum vero ordinaretur, apparuit pontifici Du-
bricio et Iltuto abbati columba nive candidior, considens
super caput juvenis in ordinatione.
Post hec navigavit ordinatus ad Letaviam, et elevatus est
in episcopali sede secundum constitutionem catholicam.
Post finem vero vite datum corpus positum est in sarcofago,
quod commovit, et levavit ventus validus ad mareque trans-
vexit per virtutem divinam motu levissimo. Inde venit
super undas quasi fulica volatilis pervolando et descendens,
applicuit velut navis transmeabilis, prospera et incolumis in
Iltuti ostio. Illud Dominus peregit quod implere voluit
quod ipse promiserat de corpusculo, scilicet quod portaretur,
ac sepeliretur in eodem cimiterio. Hec autem interea vi-
dentes, et sentientes sarcofagum odoriferum intimaverunt
Sancti Iltuto, quod viderant mirandum ; at ille commemo-
rans ultimam de corpore Samsonis dilectissimi commenda-
tionem, flevit et oravit, ac festinanter ivit ad pelagi portum
per merorem; susceptum deinde et allatum honorifice a
clero, et reconditum in medio quadrangularium lapidum
erecte insistentium in cimiterio, cruce lapidea supposita et
depicta sub pontificali inditio, cujus anima requiescit libera
a futuro incendio.
16. De visitatione conjugis Sancti Iltuti et ipsius amis-
sione visus, et recuperatione per eundem Sanctum.
Conjunx quondam beati Iltuti, nomine Trinihid, femina-
rum castissima, ducens vitam suam sub castimoniam pro
172 VITA SANCTI ILTUTt.
maritale clivortium, nullam cupiens conjugalem copulati-
onem, sic conabatur intentio, sic erat mentis industria.
Assidua in oratione, moderabilis in eloquio, intenta in omni
opere bono, Christus erat illi solatium, Christus alimentum,
cotidie liora in pane ordiceo et aqua solvebat jejunium,
fercula respuebat, dulcedinem nullam gustabat, dilectio
Sancti Trinitatis erat ejus dulcedo, quam intrinsecus dilige-
bat. Solitudinem montanam dilexit, et elegit ut ubi habi-
taret, construxit ibi habitaculum, fundavit oratorium, ubi
Dominum redemptorem fidelissime exoraret, exoravit assi-
due, inculpabilis, et irreprehensibilis inventa in sua tota
conversatione, sanctimonialiter permanens; yiduas et sanc-
timoniales egenos innumerabiles comfortans in sua procu
rations.
Interea visitare voluit Sanctum Iltutum, et iter capiens
visitavit, ubi operosum vidit fossorem per assidua fossura
lutulentum per faciem, macies quoque tenuaverat faciei su-
perficiem; inquisivit ab eo suave colloquium, displicuit
inquisito audienti, inquisitus nullum reddidit responsum;
noluit videre illam, nee videri nee audire suum sermonem,
nee audiri. Conspexit ilia vilem habitum, cilicio et pellibus
indutum, non sicut antea viderat militem speciosum, per
visitationem incongruam amisit visum; doluit graviter ami-
sisse per meritum; rogatus tarn en Sanctus Iltutus, implora-
vit dominicum solatium, quo posset ilia recuperare visum
pristinum; exauditis autem precibus, vidit clare, re versa est
postea sic ante, nevis et pallore contexta, ac veluti febrici-
tans pallida, Remansit itaque in predicto loco, nunquam
amplius visitans Sanctum Iltutum, quia nolebat displicere
Deo, et Dei dilectissimo.
17. De preposito Cjblim, qui liquefactus est ut cera a
facie ignis, quia offenderat Iltutum.
Prepositus Meirchiaum, regis Glatmorcanensium, nomine
Cyblim, malivolus quod Latine sonat totus acutus, realiter
adimplens secundum hoc, quod erat nominatus. Accusa-
bat enim subjectos accutissime apud regem Meirchiaum
VITA SANCTI ILTUTI. 173
ut sua perderent, nullos protegebat qui protegi deberent;
sua prepositura erat omnibus odibilis, tota sua vita abomi-
nabilis. Offendebat frequenter abbatem Iltutum, agrava-
bat etiam suum clerum; multa injuste direpta fingebat
exegi a domino, illo inscio et sine ipsius precepto, omnibus
irascebatur, omnes ilium maledicebant, unus erat rigidissimus
contra omnes qui sua mala opera reprobabant. Exaltabat
se regendo per alterum, immo se subprimebat, quia delige-
bat nequitiam; qui ergo exaltatur male operando subprimitur
et retruditur; retentus in periculo, periculosus iste profuit
ut recte regeret, non direxit dum ipsemet corruit quern
primitus regere, et dirigere deberet. Meruit ergo corrui
dum fecit sanctum affligi, afflictus a malefico blanditus est
pacifice; sed Deus summus ultor fecit ilium quasi mollitam
et liquefactam ceram ardore igneo liquescere, et sic ejus
malitiam amplius non apparendo desinere; nam voluerat
sanctum atque liberrimum Iltutum fieri tributarium, et tri-
buta mittere ad regale castellum. Noluit autem vir maxi-
me libertatis sponte hec pati, nee concedere tantam inju-
riam, nee irasci ; sed effundebat preces sedulas ut redderet
Deus malefico indulgentiam; conabatur enim implere evan-
gelicum preceptum, qui ita dicit, " Orate pro persequentibus
et calumpniantibus vos," et iterum, " Beati qui persecutionem
patiuntur propter justitiam."
18. De fuga viri Dei ob persecutionem Meirchiauni
regis, ad speluncam.
Liquefacto sacrilego preposito, rex Meirchiaunus com-
motus est nimio furore, volens Iltutum innocentem virum
interficere, locum et clerum destruere, quern penituit vehe-
menter habitandi heremum licentiam dedisse, quia plus dili-
gebat ibi bestias habitare quam famulos electos Dei in sancte
et individue Trinitatis honore servire. Capit celeriter arma,
imperat militibus se armari, armatique pariter tendunt in
sanctum locum, et in principem ac habitatores loci conantes
ulcisci. His auditis, devitavit beatissimus Iltutus malivolam
turbam, devitans utrumque, et tumultuantem populum qui
174 VITA SANCTI ILTUTI,
suis orationibus exhibebat impedimentum ; voluit remotus
devitare super terrain, sed timebat inquirer! et inveniri, in-
ventus denuo, et invitus ad abbatiam reduci ; querit ubique
latebrosam siccitatem, ut ubi posset abscondere faciem; in-
quirendo tandem pervenit ad Eugenni fluminis marginem,
ubi vidit speluncam secretissimam. Ut autem visa fuit, in-
troivit, et earn per unius anni circulum, et insuper spatio
trium dierum, et noctium inhabitavit; tota nocte jacebat
super frigidam petram ut desideravit, sic adimplens sibi ta-
lem injunctam penitentiam; quasi diceret, "Hie lapis in
lecto positus sub pectore nostro, hec mea dulcedo, jaceam
pro numine summo ; mollis erit merces ventura beata beato ;
que manet in celo michi dedita quando redibo."
«*
19. De celesti pastu in spelunca, et communi planctu
post Iltutum et de cimbalo eidem a Sancto David directo
sonante nutu divino, et de reversione ejus a spelunca ad
cenobium.
Orabat igiturbeatus Iltutus assidue, jejunando cotidie; om-
ni autem liora nona mittebatur illi celitus panis unus ordice-
us, et una particula piscis, ex quibus reficiebatur. Post modi-
cam commestionem visitabat vicinum fontem, haurens sibi
aquam cum concavis manibus; sic Paulus et Antonius, pri-
mi heremite fungebantur haustibus; deinde redibat ad an-
trum, cavens videri ab aliquo ad introitum. Querebatur
diligenter in saltibus et in silvis, et in convallium latebris,
et non inveniebatur, questionibus assiduis; quamdiu ita
latebat, potentes condolebant, nescientes quo devenerat,
pauperes et vidue miserabiliter lugebant, dicentes, "Quis erit
nostra protectio? Quis repellet nostram inopiam pectore
largifluo? Largitus dabat, nulli suanegabat; affectuose sub-
ministrabat amminiculum omnibus ab eo quod exigentibus
commune, namque cunctis indigentibus erat sustentaculum,
cum dolentibus condolebat, cum gaudentibus congaudebat ;
apostolica incessanter seminabat documenta semina multi-
plicando centesima; puniendis et punitis erat alleviatio
Celebris redimendo eos oratione et jejunio, ac muneribus
VITA SANCTI ILTUTI. 175
largifluis. Si superstes est in hoc seculo, retinetur in carcere
subterraneo; si defunctus, vivat ut optamus in eterna requi-
ete." Dum talia et alia plura dicebantur, transibat quidam
viator, qui legatus erat Gilde historiograph!, deferens eneum
cimbalum ab eodem Gilda compositum, ut deferret Sancto
Dewi pontifici in presentationem, ob memoriam preterite
societatis et dilectionis; illo transeunte juxta antrum vie
publice vicinum, sonuit cimbalum sine humano motu com-
motum.
Audiens autem Sanctus Iltutus dulcem sonitum pervenit
ad deferentem, movitque tribus vicibus probando duleissi-
mam sonitatem, interrogans eundem quo tenderet, aut quo
deferet rem speciosam, auro prestantiorem. Qui respondens,
ait, " Tendo et defero hoc cimbalum Sancto Dewi, ex jussi-
one Gilde preclari." His prolatis recessit et pervenit ad
Menevensem vallem, donans tali dono pontificem. Donatus
movit cimbalum, ex motione nullum reddidit sonum ; Ponti-
fex admirans illud admirabile, inquisivit a legato utrum
motum, aut probatum fuerat ab aliquo per viam in legati-
one. Ille inquisitus intimavit sicut contigerat superius, et
intimata presul veraciter credidit dicens, "Scio quod noster
magister Iltutus illud voluit possidere personitus dulcedine;
nolebat tamen petere, audiens quod debuit mihi mitti a
Gilda datore, non vult Dominus ut hoc habeam, reverte
sine dilatione ad speluncam, et reddito Sancto Iltuto quam
desideravit rem destinatam; legatus reversus est ad Iltutum,
et implevit pontificale preceptum, relinquens ibi habitato-
rem unicum propter crebram visitationem angelorum.
Postea legatus intimavit in cenobio quod viderat, et qua-
liter sibi contigerat. His auditis cenobite letanter adierunt
predictum locum, ibique repperiunt abbatem karissimum;
letantur confratres in inventione religiosissimi abbatis; leta-
tur et ipse sciens reperiri non posse, nee remeasse nisi divino
nutu. Veniebant universi compatriote gratias agentes pro
redeunte domino, talia dicendo, "Prius eramus mesti non
hilares, et secius ab omni adversitate et periculo, nullum time-
mus propter dominum timendum, sub hoc refugio nemo au-
176 VITA SANCTI ILTUTI.
sus erit nobis adversari sub tanto dominio ; reges et princi-
pes parebunt virtuoso principi, locus iste principalis super
loca hujus pagi; nostra gaudia latebant in occulto antro,
non dilatant per terminos sine merore preterito, antrum
istud non obscurum sed plenum lumine, habitante enim
Iltuto non desinebat fulgore angelico splendescere.
20. De nequissimo'Cefygid, preposito regis Meirchiauni,
quern terra palustris deglutivit.
Interea rexit abbaciam pacifice, ammonens confratres,
et omnes communiter sub vera religione, orans et jejunans
in congruo jejunandi tempore. Cepit tamen quidam pre-
positus, nomine Cefygid, adversari et offendere Sanctum et
clerum frequentissime in arcendis pascuis, et conclusuris
pecorum, et armentorum sepissime. Tenebat pecora per
triduum, nolens pro perversitate a possessoribus recipere
vadimonium; dum fierent soluta, macies apparebat per la-
tera, nee mirum quamvis tenuata post triduana jejunia ;
offensus itaque Iltutus ab injuriosissimo preposito creber-
rime, noluit tamen ilium maledicere, sed potius pro crebris
persequitionibus, et dampnis solebat benedicere, exorans ut
corrigeretur, et converteretur ab iniquitate ne finiret nequis-
simus vitam suam in semi t a malicie. Summus vero celestis
judex videns ilium nolle emendare quod deliquerat, concessit
ut tellus palustris eundem deglutiret, et nequam spiritus
ejus cruciatus dignos suis operibus intraret. Eadem palus
apparet hactenus conspectui humano, in signum nequitie
malefactoris pro malefacto.
21. De commotione furoris Meirchiauni vesani regis,
quern terra deglutivit.
Rex Meirchiaunus vesania plenus, audiens in suo dampno
de suo fiduciali preposito tale infortunium contigisse, doluit
et iratus cupivit in Sanctum Iltutum irruere, aut interficere,
aut penitus de suo dominio expellere. Induit arma quasi
bellicosus miles in pugnaci milicia, de castello celeriter
cquitat ad portam civitatis; dum ita staret paratus ad homi-
VITA SANCTI ILTUTI. 177
cidium perpetrandum, sicut antea frequentaverat, terra ab-
sorbuit malivolum, non apparentem amplius ante familiarem
conspectum; et pro tantis malefactis que perpetraverat,
flatus ejus punibilis migravit illuc quo puniuntur anime
iniquorum sine ullis remediis. Post aliquod temporis inter-
vallum aggravatus est Sanctus Iltutus a multitudine conflu-
entium, et impeditus in suis orationibus, propter quam
causam adivit Lingarchicam speluncam; ubi remanens spatio
trium annorum subvigilus, et jejunus, sumens omni hora
nona celestem sibi pastum per angelum sibi delatum, et
super petram interiorem repositum, ubi vidit venerabile
miraculum.
22. De miraculo viso in Garthica spelunca.
Quodam die dum sederet ad os spelunce, vidit naviculum
venientem et appropinquantem littori, ut ad latus perven-
erat, respexit duos viros honestissimos in navicula remigan-
tes, et unum altare divino nutu super faciem navicule fulci-
tum. Sanctus autem Iltutus migravit in obviam, proferens
verba salutatoria per letitiam ; at illi post modicam interlo-
cutionem, dederunt corpus odoriferam cujusdam sanctissimi
viri, Sancto Iltuto revelantes illius nomen, et post revela-
tionem proliibuerunt ut nunquam illud propalaret ; sicque
reconsignato corpore beato Iltuto, remeaverunt. His per-
actis attulit corpus et altare quod fuerat super faciem sanc
tissimi viri, et sepelivit in spelunca honorifice, altari super
posito sepulto corpore sicut fuerat ante fulcitum divino nu-
mine, per quod plura miracula gesta sunt pro sua sanctitate.
23. De duobus latronibundis in duos lapides transforma-
tis.
Nocte quad am duo latrunculi furati sunt gregem porcor-
um Sancti Iltuti, compellentes de sua hara, tetenderunt ad
silvestria loca, estimantes rectam semitam tenere, devia-
verunt per noctem vagando donee redierunt cum grege ad
eundem locum quern deseruerant, aurora coruscante ; grex
vero fatigatus requievit usque ad horam tertiam, subulco
178 VITA SANCTI ILTUTI.
admirante porcorum perlongatam somnolentiam. Post habi-
tam requiem sicut consueverat tetendit ad pabulum ; appro-
pinquante autem nocte reversus est grex ad haram, dum
eidem nequissimi, de quibus prefati sumus, denuo venerunt,
et compellentes sues de eodem loco migraverunt; errando
sicut antea ad montem longinquum fuerintque devii velut
imperiti, ac si nunquam fuissent in sui itineris peritia cer-
tificati. Tandem erronei reversi sunt, nescientes ad predic-
tum locum quia tune illi sicut prius eodem modo contigit ;
ceterum rex celestis, et summus corrector videns malificos
nolle reverti a sua malignitate, mutavit eorum corpora in
duos lapides ; spiritus autem veluti meruerant permisit adire
penas infernales. Hoc memorabile miraculum credibile est
a posteris, hactenus enim apparet locus hare, que vocatur
sub Iltuti nomine ; hucusque etiam videntur lapides immo-
biles sub duorum latronum appellatione, et duros lapides
mutari credere latrones ; nequitie testes meruerunt, sic vo-
cati remanentes; pro grege porcorum sunt corpora versa
duorum sub nive, sub pluvia, sub grandine sunt sine vita.
24. De tribus granariis, quorum plenitudo ex frumento
advecta est a Brittannia ad Letaviam, que quondam Ar-
morica vocabatur.
Beatissimus Iltutus volens visitare ecclesiam Sancti
Michael in Monte Tumba, habens in possessione tria horrea
frumenti plena ante recessionem, precepit suis prepositis ut
efficerent quatinus totum frumentum excuteretur, et excuss-
um ignarus reponetur contra suum reditum de sua heredi-
tate Letavia, reservaretur. Impletum est autem dominicum
preceptum, completum est insuper visitandi desiderium ;
post vitationem vero cepit reverti in reversionem, vidit
homines inedia pene ad mortem afflictos, et nisi subveneret
quamtotius moribundos. Afflictus est videndo hujusmodi
egestatem condoluit, celestem auxiliatorem ut auxiliaretur
exoravit; auditis precibus in celesti atrio, allatum est supra-
dictum frumentum, divinitus quod optaverat portari in suis
oracionibus ; et inventum est postea in porta Letaviensi
VITA SANCTI ILTUTI. 179
super litus unum ; tota Letavia se pavit, et insuper agricul-
turas seminavit; magnificant, et gratias agunt auxiliatori,
cujus orationibus fuerat ab infesta fame tutati. Inde recliit
navigando per mare Gallicum, universis insistentibus in li-
tore, et unanimiter felicem transitum benedicentibus ; feli-
cior adventus non fuit in Letavia, nollent cives ut reme-
aret, sed remaneret in patria ; nolirit tamen ipse remanere
ob tanta desideria, verum in Brittannia elegit habitare quam-
vis exul ex paternal! linea.
Cum vero tempus appropinquasset, quo Dominus dilecti
sui beati Iltuti labores electis suis pollictia centupla recom-
pensatione remunerare decrevisset, prout arbitramur, divino
instinctu ad patrium solum, Letavia videlicet, et quam nos
Minorem Brittanniam vocamus, denuo reversus ; ibique
apud civitatem Dolensem, prefinitis sibimet a proprio credi-
tore, qui mortalibus terminos qui per se terriri non poterunt,
constituit diebus, virtutibus scitateque transactis clarus mi-
raculis et signis atque prodigiis Celebris, terre corpus, spiri-
tum quippe Domino commendans octavo Id. Novembris,
funesto seculo defungens, ac vite perpetue celestique nascens,
in eternum victurus gaudens, transivit ad Dominum, cui
est honor, potestas et imperium per omnia secula seculo-
rum. AMEN.
25. De preda reddita, que qualitate equorum.
Anglorum tex Edgarus bachanti furore commotus, com-
movit exercitum suum propter Glatmorganensium inobed-
ientiam, atque ad eandem regionem adduxit, violando sanc
torum territoria. et ipsa templa, nullam etiam villam invio-
latam permittens per universam patriam. In hac itaque
invasione ablata fuit nola Sancti Iltuti ab ecclesia ejusdem,
ac perlata a quodam predone ad Anglicam tellurem; re-
meante quidem exercitu posita est, ac ligata circa collum
unius equi, qui in Aureo Monte preerat armento regali et
equestri ; Aureus Mons iste appellatus est, scilicet et prop
ter conventum ibidem in exercitum astantium, aureis indu-
mentis et deauratis armis fulgeritium. In meridiana autem
180 VITA SANCTI ILTUTI.
hora, dum rex quiesceret in tentorio campestri in planicie
affixo, dividereturque maxima predatio, visum regi quod
quidam terribilis miles saum pectus lancea perforasset,
atque post perforationem nemini visum, graviter condolens
revelavit quod viderat, omnibus negantibus se vidisse quod
ab ipso videri confirmabat. Novit igitur se esse culpabi-
lem et violentum predatorem timoratus imperavit sacrilego
exercitui reddere Deo et sanctissimo Iltuto totam predatio-
nem, promittens deinceps emendationem ; atque in honore
ejusdem Sancti, edificavit templum, et servientibus in temp-
lo concessit in quo stetit, territorium. Hec emendatio
tamen profuit suo spiritui; recessit enim ab hoc seculo
nono die propter nequitie vindietam. Interea predictus
equus nolam deferens preivit coram omnibus ibi manen-
tibus, et nullis compellentibus versus occidentalem plagam,
toto armiento equestri consequente nole dulcem sonorita-
tem, quod mirum et admirabile audiendo et videndo tantam
virtutem. Hoc mirabilius quod potuit transire Savernam ;
venit ad hanc ripam sine perditionem petendam ; consequi-
tur sonitum collectio fortis equorum, et diligit auditum
vocis dulcedine plenum. Deinde festinanter per litora mon-
tes et nemora pervenit ad quam tendebat Gulatmorcantiam,
omnibus equis audientibus et consequentibus dulcem sono-
ritatem.
Dum itaque equi pervenissent ad ripam Tamie fluminis,
auditus est sonitus cimbali a clero, quamobrem hilarescit
clerus, et venit in obviam equo preunti, et preferenti idem
tintinnabulum usque ad Sancti Iltuti ecclesie januam. Ubi
detulisset illico deposuit rigide resolutum a collo, ceciditque
super saxum et ex casu habuit unius partis fracturam, quod
ostendit usque in hodiernum diem, in hujus miraculi eximii
memoriam. Inde canitur gioriosa psalmodia in choro,
quanta gaudia et preconia fuerat pro hoc miraculo. Singuli
de canonicis innumerabilibus habuerunt unum equum ; sed
pro precellente vix fuit peractum inter canonicos litigium ;
unus dicebat unusquisque meus iste erit, alius vero referebat,
" Non patiar fieri electionem tantam ;" Tercius confimabat,
VITA SANCTI ILTUTI. 181
dicens, "Non sic ultro implebitis voluntatem vestram."
Hec duravit contentio sine concord ia usque in diem crasti-
num, fere orta ad multorum homicidiumque. Die autem
secundo adventus equestris gregis, venit clerus ad gregem
equorum, volens equaliter et pacifice partiri ; et dum parti-
retur vidit omnes equos equales esse, et nullum ut ante vi-
derat precellare, deinde divisio finita est sub concordia, et
pacificatus est clerus per divisionem pacificam. Tali modo
amore Iltuti remisit Deus raptum cimbalum, et totam pre-
dationem'ad ejusdem sanctissimum templum.
26. De victoria cleri Sancti Illtuti in exleges, et in castello
Meirchiauni.
Rege Anglorum, Willelmo regnante per Brittanniam, et
Roberto principe, Haimonis filio, regente Gulatmorcantiam,
ceperunt Aquilonares Brittanni acriter regi resistere; et
Australes postea communi et firma conjuratione vastabant
et incendebant villas et menia. Veniebant hostes de ne-
moribus ut nocerent Angligenis, et Normanigenis civibus-
que ; populabantur ac revertebantur ad montes longinquo,
et ad nemora cum immensis predationibus. Interea commo-
tus est exercitus a Walensibus, circiter tria millia armatorum
equitum et peditum,ut devastarent et incenderent Gulatmor
cantiam ; hoc audito pro hostili incursu, clerus Sancti Iltuti
cum suis parrochianis munivit per fossam, et per sepem
super ripam equoreum firmiter factam, et sic munita, intra-
vit conans protegere sub tutamine pecuniam ; hoc peracto,
venerunt incauti hostes noctu ante portam, nam si per diem
venissent, habuissent victoriam. Nocturna igitur pugna
orta est inter acies utriusque, donee multi ceciderunt exani-
mes ex jactu lapidum, et lancearum vibratione, et alii quam-
plures vulnerati, condolebant plangentes in certamine.
Dum talia agebantur, dense scintillule crebro apparebant
in aere, inter templum Sancti Iltuti et castellum regis
Meirchiauni, juxta quod erat bellum, choruscabant valde
quasi fulgura; ad protegendum populum catholicum apparu-
erunt signa angelica. Quanto plus oppugnabant due acies
2 A
182 VITA SANCTI ILTUTI.
tanto ardentius effiilgebant in ethere ignee species ; refugium
Dei, et sanctissimi Iltuti fuit violatum, propterea tria millia
ante castellum divicta sunt a minori numero; femine iner-
mes administrabant arma pugnantibus, pueri imbecilles non
cessabant interius, hostiles clipei frangebantur lapideis ejec-
tionibus, terrifici clamores fundebantur ab hostibus; rari
carebant sanguineis vultibusque; affuit illico virtus divina
dum paucitas interioris pugne fugavit et devicit tria millia.
Levis poterat ascensus fieri ad triumphum, sed fortis Iltu-
tus non concessit ascensum; sed si per lucem oppugnassent,
ascendissent levissime; sed lux summa, et lux vera hoc
nolebat concedere : non est virtus neque vigor ubi manet
nequitia : hie probatum manifeste dum fugit Guynedotie
turba. EXPLICIT.
IX.
'iitn intitti
INCIPIT VITA SANCTI KEBI1, EPISCOPI.
£LfttUtU£ Kepius unus fuit ex bonis servis celestis patris,
ffl cujus festum colitur in octavo die Novembris, scilicet
sexto idus Novembris. Ortus autem fuit de regioni Cornu-
biorum, inter duo flumina, Tamar et Limar; cujus pater
Salomon fuit Erbin films, filius Gerenit, filius Lud; pater
ejus vero princeps milicie fuit, ipse in scola nutritus fuit.
Beatus vero Kepius septennis erat quando incipit legere;
postea vero fuit in regione sua per viginti annos; deinde ivit
in peregrinationem lerosolimam, adorare sepulchrum Do
mini, postea fuit apud beatissimum Hilarium episcopum
Pictavensem, ibi fuit per quinquaginta annos, ubi illumina-
vit cecos, et leprosos mundabat, paraliticos et mutos in-
sanos et demoniacos sanavit. Postea accepit gradum epis
copal em ab Hilario episcopo; deinde admonitus est ab
angelo Domini ut remearet ad suam propriam; ibi fuit per
parvum spacium. Rogatusque est, itaque ut venit quatinus
rex esset Cornubiorum, et noluit accipere potestatem hujus
seculi presentis. Postmodo dum exivit in propriam suam
cum decem discipulis suis, hiiscum discipulis Maelauc, Li-
biau, Peulan, Kengar, et reliqui.
1 Ex. Cott. Lib. Brit. Mus. VESPASIAN A. XIV. z Wallice, St. Cybi.
184 VITA SANCTI KEBII.
Postea pervenit Kepius usque ad regionem Etlielicheaun,
et erat Ethelic rex vivus in illo tempore. Decendit Sanc-
tus Kepius in meclio prati sui, et tetendit tentorium suum
illuc. Et misit Ethelic quendam virum videre qui essent
homilies qui descendunt in prato suo ; revertens vir ille ad
Ethelic, et dixit ille, "Monachi sunt," Et confestim sur-
rexit Ethelic cum omni familia sua ejicere monachos de
terra sua; et protinus cecidit Ethelic de equo suo in via, et
statim mortuus est equus ejus, et cecus fuit Ethelic statim
et tota familia ejus. Tune Ethelic prostravit se in faciem
suam, deditque corpus et animam suam Deo, et Sancto
Kepio; et statim per orationem Sancti Kepii, sanati sunt
viri Ethelic, et ipse, et equus ejus. Deinde Ethelic tribuit in
perpetuo Sancto Kepio duas ecclesias, quarum una Lan-
kepi vocatur, altera autem Landaverguir, et ibi dimisit
Kepius parvum digiti sui cimbalum varium. Tune Sanctus
Kepius benedicens Ethelic regem, egressus est inde ad
civitatem Meneu Sancti David, et ibi moratus tribus diebus
et tribus noctibus.
Inde transfretavit Hiberniam, ad insulam Arum, in qua
quatuor annis mansit, et in honore Dei omnipotentis ibi
ecclesiam edificavit. Consobrinus autem ejus Kengar erat
senex, eui Sanctus Kepius emit vaccam cum vitulo suo,
qui alium cibum propter senectutem suam manducare non
poterat ; et ibi discipuli ejus fortiter terrain coluerunt.
Quadam die itaque contigit quod unus de discipulis Sancti
Kepii, Maelauc nomine, ad ostium cubiculi Crubthir Fin-
tarn fodere terram exiret; videns autem Crubthir Fintam,
iratus venit ut prohiberet ilium, et ait, " Noli fodere terram
in ostio cubiculi mei." Inde Sanctus Kepius et Fintam
exierunt pariter ad abbatem insule Arum, qui Enna vocaba-
tur, et pacificabat illos ; factum est autem quodam die ut
vitulus vacce Kengar pergeret in messem Crubthir Fintam,
et venerunt discipuli Crubthir Fintam, et tenuerunt vitu-
lum, et alligaverunt eum ad arborem magnam. Misitque
Sanctus Kepius unum ex discipulis suis ad Crubthir Fin
tam ut solveret vitulum, et non sol y it, sed adhuc Crubthir
VITA SANCTI KEBII. 185
Fintam in sua iracundiaperseverabat; Sanctus Kepius vero
oravit Dominum ut vitulus ad matrem suam veniret, quia
senex Kengar pene mortims erat propter inopiain lactis,
quia sine vitulo vacca ilia nichil lactis impendebat. Exau-
divit Deus deprecacionem Sancti Kebii, et mirabiliter vi-
tulum ad matrem suam, cum arbore ilia cui alligebatur, et
cum radicibus suis, dimisit. Tune Crubthir Fintam depre-
catus est Dominum, ut fugaret vel deleret Sanctum Kebium
de insula Arum, quia Deus amavit eum ; et venit angelus
Domini in sompno ad Sanctum Kebium, dixitque ei, " Vade
de hac insula ad oriental em plagam." Cui Sanctus Kepius
respondit, dicens, "Deleat Deus Crubthir Fintam de insula
hac." Dixitque angelus, "Sic erit."
Inde venit Sanctus Kepius ad australem plagam regionis
Mide, et ibi quadraginta diebus, et quadraginta noctibus
permansit ; et edificavit ibi ecclesiam, que usque hodie ec-
clesia magna vocatur Mochop. Audiens autem Crubthir-
Fintam quod ibi Sanctus Kepius habitaret, venit et dixit ei,
" Perge ad alium locum, mea est adhuc ista terra," Tune
Sanctus Kepius tribus diebus jejunavit, ut Deus ostenderet
ei quid inde ageret. Dixitque angelus Sancto Kepio,
" Perge ad Orientem." Fecitque Sanctus Kepius ita, et
venit ad campum Bregh, et ibi permansit septem diebus.
Audiens autem adhuc Crubthirfintam adversarius ejus, venit
ad eum, et dixit Sancto Kepio, "Perge ad alium locum."
Tune Sanctus Kepius dixit, "Deprecor Deum omnipoten-
tem ut ostendat michi quid faciam." Cui dixit angelus,
" Perge ad dextralem plagam." Fecitque ita, et venit ad
regionem Vobyun, et ibi moratus est duodecim diebus.
Adhuc Crubthirfintam secutus est eum, et dixit ei, "Kepi,
perge trans mare." Tune Sanctus Kepius iratus, dixit ei,
" Omnes ecclesie tue in tantum sunt deserte, ut nunquam
tres ecclesie inveniantur canentes ad altare tuum in Hiber-
nia insula."
Tune Sanctus Kepius misit discipulos suos ad silvam; ut
inciderent materiem lembi ; statim etenim inciderunt, et
edificaverunt eum; factoque lembo venit Crubthirfintam, et
186 VITA SANCTI KEBII.
ait illis, " Intrate in lembo sine corio, si servi Dei estis."
Cui respondit Sanctus Kepitis, prophetico response, dicens,
" Mirabilis Deus in sanctis suis, Deus Israel ipse dabit vir-
tutem et fortitudinem plebi sue, benedictus Deus." Et
dixit Sanctus Kepius discipulis suis, " Ponite lembum super
mare," ac illi posuerunt, et ingressus est Sanctus Kepius
cum discipulis lembum carentem corio, et confestim tem-
pestas valida in mare venit, et timuerunt valde discipuli
ejus, et fortiter Sanctus Kepius Deum rogavit, cujus roga-
tione divisit Deus scopulum in duos, et prosimit lembus
sursum inter duos scopulos; demumque applicuerunt Mon-
nie insule. Tune ibi Santus Kepius baculo suo percussit
rupem, et confestim manavit aqua.
Inde Sanctus Kepius venit ad locum, qui dicitur Cundab,
et ibi aliquanto spacio moratus est dixit que cuidam ex dis
cipulis suis, scilicet Caffo, " Perge, aporta nobis ignem."
At Caffo ad domum cujuslibet fabri, nomine Magurn, per-
rexit, et interrogavit Magurn discipulum, " Unde venis ?"
Discipulus respondit, "A magistro meo Kepio, veni." In-
terrogavitque Magurnus eum, "Quid vellet." Cui discipu-
lus respondit, "Ignem vellem habere." Et ait Magurnus,
" Ignem tibi non dabo, nisi in sinu tuo portaveris." Dixit-
que Caffo, " Pone ignem in sinu meo." Et posuit Magur
nus, et confestim reversus est Caffo ad magistrum suum
Kepium, portans ignem positum in sinu suo, et non com-
bustum est saltern fimbria de cocula ejus.
Tune Mailgun rex super Gwenidocie provincias regnabat;
quodam die contigit quod ad montana, venandi causa, exi-
ret ; videns autem capram, molossum suum instigavit, ut oc-
cuparet earn ; tune capra ad Sancti Kepii casulam, refugii
causa, velociter cucurrit; et dixit Sanctus Kepius ad disci
pulum suum Caffo, "Recede a me, nonpossumus esse simul."
Et venit ad oppidum, quod dicitur hodie Merthir Caffo, et
ibi occiderunt Rosiur pastores Caffo; et ideo maledixit beatus
Kepius pastoribus Rosiur cum domina sua. Et invenit
capra refugium, et secutus est earn Rex Mailgun usque ad
casulain Kepii, et dixit ad eum rex, "Dimitte capram."
VITA SANCTI KEBII. 187
Et ait Kepius, " Non dimittam, nisi dederis ei vite refugium."
Dixitque rex iracundus, "Si non dimiseris, ejiciam te om-
nino de ista terra." Et ait beatus Kepius, " Non est in tua
potestate ut ejicias me de ista terra, sed in potestate Dei
est; sed tamen dimittam tibi capram istam, si immolaveris
Deo omnipotent!, et mihi totam terram, quam circuerat
ante molossum tuum." Et ait rex, "Libenter immolabo."
Et dimisit Sanctus Kepius capram, et secutus est molossus
illam per totum promontorium, et reversa est ad casulain
Sancti Kepii iterum. Et postea ortus est conflictus inter
regem Mailgun, et Sanctum Kepium ; sed non poterat re-
sistere servo Dei. Et ideo contulit castellum suum Deo
omnipotenti, et agio Kepio in perpetua elemosine oblatione,
et ibi dormivit cum Christo cum magno honore sexto Idus
Novembris.
Venitque multitudo angelorum, et duxerunt sanctissimam
animam ejus ad celum in consortio patriarcharum, prophe-
tarum, in unitate apostolorum, et evangelistarum, in unitate
martyrum, et confessorum, in unitate virginum, et omnium
sanctorum justorum, in unitate ecclesie celestis ubi est dies
sine nocte, tranquillitas sine metu, gaudium sine fine; ubi
sunt septem res eternales, vita sine morte, juventus sine se-
nectute, letitia sine tristitia, pax sine discordia, lux sine te-
nebris, sanitas sine dolore, regnum sine commutacione.
Beati sunt qui habitant cum Abel, et Enoc, et Noe, cum
Habraham, et Ysaac, et Jacob, cum Mosse et Aaron, et
Josua filio Nun, et cum duodecim prophetis, et cum duode-
cim apostolis, et cum omnibus sanctis ab initio mundi usque
in finem, cum viginti ordinibus angelorum, cum Patre, et
Filio, et Spiritu Sancto, in pace et letitia, et in puritate, et
juventute, sine fame, et sine nuditate, cum habundantia
totius corporis, sine ullo malo, circa regem juvenem, largum,
pulchrum, eternum. Rogamus Deum omnipotentem ut
mereamur possidere illam beatitudinem per intercessionem
beati Kepii in secula seculorum. Amen.
X.
limrfi
INCIPIT VITA SANCTI PATERNI, EPISCOPI.
/|j>I)ri£tUS« filius Dei vivi, tertia Trinitatis divine persona,
^coeternus, et consubstantialis Patri et Spiritu Sancto de-
dit hoc preceptum ecclesie, ut affect antius provocaret homi-
num mentes ad religionem, pollicendo illis geminam merce-
dem, id est, hie centuplum et vitam eternam in futuro.
Lucas vero evangelista, discipulus Sancti Paul apostoli,
medicus corporis et anime, hoc preceptum ob communem
Christianorum salutem scripsit; talis autem est sensus
istius precepti, " Qui propter regnum Dei accipiendum om-
nes afFectus conterserit, et omnes seculi divitias luxusque
calcaverit, multo plura in presenti recipiet quam a fratribus
atque consortibus propositi sui, qui ei spirituali glutino
colligantur, multo graciorem etiam in hac vita caritatem,
recipiet ; hanc siquidem caritatem, quam inter parentes ac
filios atque germanos, et conjuges, et propinquos, sive socie-
tas copule, seu consanguinitatis necessitudo conjungit, satis
brevem constat esse, ac fragilem ; Qui igitur propter reg
num Dei temporalia spernunt, etiam in hac vita ejusdem
regni gaudia certa fide degustant, atque in expectatione
prime celestis omnium pariter electorum sincerissima dilec-
tione fruunt.
1 Ex. Cott. Lib. Brit, Mus. VESPASIAN A. XIV. 2 Wallice, Padarn,
VITA SANCTI PATERNI. 189
Ex quibus est Sanctus Paternus episcopus, qui terrenam
hereditatem derelinquens, ac auxilium visitans summum
regni celestis fieri heredem atque civem concupivit. Qui
gente quidem Armoricus fuit parentibus autem nobilibus
ortus est, Petrano scilicet patre, matre vero Guean, qui uno
conventu utentes, genuerunt Sanctum Paternum. Postea
vero se sempiterno Deo servicio dedicaverunt ; nam Petra-
nus illico Letaviam deserens, Hiberniam expetivit. Graciosa
itaque apparuit nativitas Sancti Paterni, per quern pater ejus
sanctus effectus est, et mater ejus famula Christi effecta,
religiosam vitam duxit in eternum; convenienti igitur ordi-
ne a Deo previsum est, ut sicut Christus ex summo patre,
Deus de Deo, lumen de lumine ortus est, ita Paternus
Sanctus ex sanctis parentibus nasceretur. Illico enim ut
natus est ille Christum sequi elegerit. At Paternus mox
ut sensit aliquid rationale in mundo, interrogat matrem,
cum qua derelictus fuerat, quern patrem habuisset, viveret,
an non, aut si viveret, ubi erat, et cur alibi morareret, ac non
potius in propria hereditate mansitasset. Cui lacrimando
mater respondit, " Pater tuus quidam vivit, et plus Deo
quam mundo ; perrexit autem hinc ad Hiberniam, ubi jeju-
nat, orat, vigilat, meditatur, miseretur, dormit inpsiathico,
genuflectit alto Domino quot diebus quot que noctibus."
Tune adolescens spiritu Sancto desuper flante comfortatus,
ait, " Quo ergo modo in meliore potest filius vivere quam
boni patris imitatione, nam si rex sit, patrem ilium imitari
in regimine filius appetit ; itaque moriar, si non assequar
patrem meum per semitas quas elegit.
In illo tempore Corus ecclesiasticus monachorum, Leta
viam deserens, Brittanie meditabantur oras appetere ; nam
sicut hiemale alvearium, arridente vere animos extollens,
et augende populi prudenter insistens, aliud primum precipu-
umque foras emittit examen, ut alibi mellificet ; ita Leta-
via, accrescente serenitate religionis, caterva sanctorum ad
originem unde exierunt, transmittit sub ducibus Hetinlau,
Catman, Titechon. Hac etiam provocatus fama sanctus ju-
venis Paternus cinxit se cum ceteris in exilium, non seo-nior
2s
190 VITA SANCTI PATERNI.
sue oribus, sed qnanto junior tanto in laborando ferventior,
etatem suam in religiosis moribus transcendebat. Itaque
convenitmt omnes chori, ad transnavigandum Brittanniam
unanimiter petentes; mox Paternus quartus dux cohortis
efficitur, non postulacione sua, sed consobrini ejus videntes
ilium preparare ad culmen perfectionis, statuerunt, dicen-
tes, " Quum Deus prefecit te in moribus, oportet ut prc-
esse debeas in populis ad exemplum vite." Prospero igitur
navigio, omnes clerici oras insule Brittannorum tenent;
Paternum secuntur octingenti quadraginta septem monachi,
capit Sanctus cum sanctis locum in ecclesia, cognomento
Mauritana, ubi Sanctus Paternus postea miraculo honesto
claruit.
Edificavit itaque mox ibi monasterium ; postquam autem
edificavit templum, ac monasterium, sub economo, et pre-
posito et decano statuit, reminiscitur sui patris. Benedicit fra-
tribus, licenciam accipit. Hiberniam navigat, patrem visitat,
invicem resalutant, gratias summo DeoChristo agunt, tandem
simul sedent. At tune temporis in Hibernia reges duarum
provinciarum discordant, vastationes ab invicem oriuntur,
rapiuntur prede, domus cremantur, consurgunt bella, cadunt
fratres, terra ad internecionem et solitudinem desolatur.
Tandem misericors Arbiter orbis solita misertus providentia,
causam insperate pacis, ad episcopum cujuslibet civitatis
ecclesie per angelum suum mittit, et ait, " Nisi uterque ex-
ercitus vultus Sancti nuper ex Brittannia venientis viderit,
nunquam placabuntur ad invicem reges maliciosi." Extem-
plo legati mittuntur, Paternum honorifice aduocant, exerci-
tus convocantur, Paternum in medio statuunt ; gratia vul
tus ejus diaboli propelluntur ; pax perpetua inter utras-
que provincias oritur, eterna unitas nascitur a Deo ; ut in
signo unitatis hominum, cadant ligna provincie in casu lig-
norum alterius provincie.
Tune omnes Dominum magnificant in servo suo Paterno,
ac omnes benedicentes, dixerurit, " Sit semper tibi signum
pacis, per quod clarescat nomen tuum in terra dum vivas, et
post mortem, quod impletur in munere Cerirguen." Tanta
VITA SANCTI PATERNI. 191
namque utilitas baculi istius est, ut si qui duo discordantes
sint, per ejus conjurationem pacentur. De Christo autem
dicitur, " Quod bonus pastor agnoscit que sint ejus oves,"
secundum quod preceptum, Sanctus Paternus, fratres quos
in Brittannia relinquerat, in memoriam reducit. Valedicit
patri, benedicitur a patre, Brittanniam adiit et fratres in-
columes corpore et animo invenit. Inter quos Nimanauc
nuper advenientem repperit ; qui in Letavia post Paternum
vivere non valens, ad oram ruaris venit ; quondamque pe-
tram invenit, in qua stetit, et ait, " Si Domino Deo sint
placita que meditor, et si vere sanctus est Paternus, ille
quern assequi volo, surgat petra et natet equora, solidentur
unde, obduret pelagus ne mergat lapidem, vehar ad domi-
num incolumis ducem Sanctum Paternum." Dicto citius
mirabili navigio maritimam ecclesiam in oris Brittannie
petit; salutatur a fratribus, suam historian! narrat, Dominum
Deum omnes una voce magnificant in sanctis suis, qui hu-
mile votum Nimanauc implevit, et virtutem summi sancti
sui manifestavit, id est Paterni. Tune Paternus monasteria
et ecclesias per totam Cereticam regionem edificavit, quibus
duces statuit, idem Samson, Guinnius, Guipper, Nimanauc.
Sanctus igitur Paternus lampas in doctrina et opere effec-
tus est per totam Brittanniam.
Interea Mailgun rex borealium Brittonum, australes
Brittannos ad bellandos et subjiciendos visitans, cum forti
exercitu adusque ostium fluminis Clarach venit ; ac quum
ipse semper temptator sanctorum aderat, duos precones se
precedere jussit, ut Sanctum Paternum aliquo malicioso
modo temptarent. Dicebantur autem Graban et Terillan.
Illi nequiter sciscitantes, venerunt ad proclivum Claracli,
fiscos musco, et glarea implent, thesauros regales assimulant
ad Sanctum apportandos, custodire hos mandant, dum rex
prospere revertatur; Sanctus annuit, deponi jubet, illos in-
veniendos esse sicut relicti fuerant affirmat. Rex preterit,
precones secuntur, pacifice revertitur rex, pacatis Brittannis.
Et misit precones malignos ut temptarent Sanctum ; tune
celeriter cellam adeunt, fiscos attollunt, interiora eorum ex-
192 VITA SANCTI PATERNI.
interant, muscos et glareas deponunt, proterve exclamant
omnes regis thesauros furti raptos, et pro eis glareas et mus
cos esse immissos; Sanctus e contra respondit, ut dimissos ita
fore inventos. At illi ruinam totius celle minabantur, si
non thesauri redderentur ; a rege autem antea per totam
Brittanniam edictum fuerat ut omnis mendax aqua ferven-
tissima deprehenderetur. Tune in fervore spiritus jubet
Paternus aquam in eneo calefacere, donee efferveret; hoc
subito impletur; Paternus suam manum illico in aquam
ferventissimi ardoris misit, que deposita alba ac frigida ut
nix apparuit. Mox coguntur precones ut manus suas in
aquam mittant ; mox manus exuste maliciam mentium de
clarant; et extemplo precones toti combustivitam finiunt ;
anime in speciebus corvinis alveum advolant, quod nomine
alterius usque hodie vocatur, id est, Grabani.
Tune rex ipse Mailgun in sua statione cecatur oculis,
infirmatur corde, genibus titubat, se moriturum confitetur
propter reatum sue nequitie in Sanctum Pater num. Illico
rex Paternum adiit, cui genuflectit, indulgentiam petit ; ac
Sanctus Paternus indulgentiam dedit ; rex ilium remunerat
quantitate agri, id est, ab ostio fluminis Retiaul, sursum
versi donee confinium amnis Clarauch in capite tangit ; et
per longitudinem ejusdem amnis ad usque mare prolonga-
tur terminus. In ilia hora rex sanatur oculis, vegetatur
corde, genibus subsistit; pacabiles ab invicem recedunt,
Sanctus Paternus et rex, Deus autem in Paterno, Paternus-
que in Deo per hoc miraculum.
Cum hec aguntur, celestis nuntius ad Sanctum David in
Rosina Valle, Christo Deo servientem, venit, et ait illi,
" Surge et vade in lerusalem, ut ibi ordineris ; adde tibi
duos condignos comites, qui pariter ordinentur, id est Pater
num et Teliau. Mox David ad illos misit; illi nee mora vene-
runt; perrexerunt pariter trans barbaras gentes, gratiam
linguarum accipientes ; nam essent viri unius lingue, unum-
quemque hominem propria lingua in qua natus fuerat, allo-
quebantur. Pervenerunt tandem adusque lerusalem; ibique
predicant nobilissima post apostolos predictione ; postea per
VITA SANCTI PATERNI. 193
impositionem maims primi archiepiscopi ordinati sunt. Illi tres
Sancti muneribus ditati sunt ; Paternus quidem duplici mu-
nere ditatus est, baculo videlicet, et tunica ex toto contex-
ta. Reversi sunt feliciter; diviserunt Brittanniam in tres
episcopatus suos, nisi postea malicia tirannorum turbaret.
Cum autem Paternus esset in ecclesia requiescens post
tantum laborem marinum, deambulabat quidam tirannus re-
giones altrinsecus, Arthur nomine ; qui quodam die venit
ad cellam Sancti Paterni episcopi. Et dum Paternum
alloqueretur, aspexit tunicam, quern confossus zelo avaricie,
petivit ut sua fieret ; respondens Sanctus, ait, " Non habitu
cujuslibet maligni hec tunica condigna est ; sed habitu cle-
ricatus." Ille baccando monasterium exivit ; iterumque in-
dignando revertitur ut tolleret tunicam contra comitum
sanctorum consilia. Unus autem discipulorum Paterni
videns ilium in furore revertentem cucurrit ad Sanctum
Paternum, et ait, " Tirannus qui hinc antea exivit, reverti
tur insultans, subjiciens plantis terram placat." Respondit
Paternus, " Immo absorbeat eum tellus." Cum dicto sta-
tim terra aperit sinum sue profunditatis ; absorbetque
Arthurum adusque mentum; qui illico agnoscens suum
reatum, incipit Deum pariter Paternum que laudare, donee
veniam petens, terra ilium sursum emitteret ; ab illo loco
Sanctum flexis genibus poposcit indulgentiam, cui Sanctus
indulsit. Paternum sibi sempiternum accepit patronum, ac
sic discessit.
In illis diebus Caradauc, cognomento Bretbras, trans ter-
minos etiam Brittannie, regnum suum dilatavit ; et ad
Letaviam veniens, illam cepit imperio. Armorici autem
venerunt ad ilium, dicentes, " Nisi Paternum nostratem ad
nos prevocaveris ex Brittannia, non nos placabiles poteris
invenire." At Caradauc deambulans per circuitum regni
sui tandem venit adusque istam civitatem, qua tune incole-
bat Sanctus Paternus. Hec autem terra antequam Pater
nus veniret, Campus Heli dicebatur, nunc autem metropolis
Sancti Paterni dicitur ; nam viginti uno annis istas tres ec-
clesias in arcta penitentia incoluit, hoc est septem in mari-
194 VITA SANCTI PATERNI.
tima, septemque in media ilia, nomine Crucis Agam, ubi
Grabanum et Terillannum vicit; ac septem ultimis post
episcopatum, soli Deo in theorica vivens. In ista magna
sua ecclesia mansit Caradauc, itaque obnixis precibus, ilium
rogitat ut tandem ad documentum Letavie pergeret. At
Paternus per apostolicum preceptum potestati resistere no
lens, consensit pergere ; innuitque regi, ut leges in eternum
permansuras ecclesiis suis statueret. Illico verbum regis
sequitur, dicentis, "In tempore quidem meo sint ecclesie
tue, seu insula maris magni, dicoque ego, qui sedeo in sum-
ma cathedra regni Brittanorum, ut si quis rex, aut films re
gis, aut dux hanc legem irritam fecerit, aut brevientur dies
ejus, aut ejus genealogia nee numeretur in terra, aut sempi-
ternum infernum possideat." Et respondit universus popu-
lus, et exercitus regis, et omnes Sancti discipuli Paterni,
AMEN.
Sanctus igiter Paternus valedicens fratribus suis, quos hie
ad regendas ecclesias suas reliquit, et comfortans illos ne
in tribulationibus suis deficerent, sed in omnibus Dominum
per ilium semper rogarent, ad Letaviam pervenit, ubi multa
a falsis fratribus pertulit ; nam mox ut illuc pervenit, fama
illius totam Letaviam implevit. Tune autem Samson, quern
precipuum in sanctitate omnes Armorici magnificabant,
perambulabat parrochias, ut ecclesie omnium sanctorum Ar-
moricorum census episcopatui ejus, et tune et postea solve-
rent in eternum. Contigit autem ut deveniret ad vicina
loca urbis Guenet, juxta quam Sanctus Paternus episcopus
monasterium edificaverat ; tune unus monachorum, Samson
maligne scrutans, ait Samsoni, " Mitte ad Sanctum ex Brit-
tannia nuper venientem, ut probes ejus humilitatem, et
manda eum nuntio ut quocunque statu sit, quando veniet
ei nuntius, eodem inexcusabiliter ad te properet." Samson
autem consilium simpliciter accipiens, ac nullam stropham
in ilia sentiens, nuntium misit. Nuntius autem nee mora
ad Sanctum venit Paternum indutum ocrea et caliga in
uno pede invenit, altero nudo manente, servus nuntiat lega-
tionem per suum modum ; Paternus autem futura previdens,
VITA SANCTI PATERNI. 195
non distulit, vadit ad consilium; maliciosus ille monachus,
auctor mail consilii, Paternum semi- vesti turn pedibus subri-
det; qui illico arreptus demonio, in terrain cadit. Moxque
Samson causam intelligit, hoc est, quod auctor nefande
temptationis in Sancto Paterno extiterat; ac tune pacifice
salutat, indulgentiam petit, datque Paternus, fatigatum sa-
nat, diabolum pellit, honoratur Dominus in Sancto Paterno.
Tune etiam statuit Sanctus Samson, ut quamvis omnes
episcopatus totius Letavie censum Sancto Samson redder-
ent, episcopatus tamen Sancti Paterni liber ab omni nomine
fieret. Et quicuncque hanc legem irritam faceret in ec-
clesiis Sancti Paterni, et in possessionibus earum Letavia et
in Brittania, eisdem maledictionibus quibus rex Caradauc
eum damnavit, pereat. Et respondit universus chorus cle-
ricorum Letavie, AMEN, AMEN.
Urbs autem Guenet, sedes episcopatus Sancti Paterni est,
in qua Petrus apostolus imam ecclesiam tenet; nam per
jussum commendavit, ut excepta sola aula, Caradauc honor
semper illius urbis, et nomen, et fama, dedicaretur Sancto
Paterno. Post hec tanta statuerunt sancti septem episco-
patuum totius Letavie, ut convenient in uno monte, et
confirmarent suam unitatem in perpetuo mansuram. In
qua sinodo, Paternus multum ab invidiosis, et falsis fratribus
fatigatus, confirmans unitatem suam cum precipuis sex
sanctis, et ille Septimus, secundum numerum septiformis
gratie extans; timensque ne per intolerantiam illorum ali-
quo ullo tenui modo irasceretur, Letaviam deserens, Francos
adivit; ibique in Domino obdormivit XVIIo kalendarum
Maii mensis. Nam tres illius solemnitates Armorici colunt;
hoc est istam diem kalendarum Novembris, quando unita
tem perpetuam statuit cum sex precipuis sanctis Letavie,
et diem sui obitus, et diem quo ordinem episcopatus accepit,
id est XIIo kalendarum Julii mensis.
Post obitum autem Sancti Paterni, Letaviam autem fames
invasit; nam trium annorum spacio post mortem illius, nee
ros, nee pluvia de celo per totam Letaviam descendit. In-
quirunt omnes causam penurie et tanti caumatis ; invene-
196 VITA SANCTI PATERNI.
runt tandem quod Sanctus Paternus injuriosis, et falsis
fratribus afflictus deseruisset Letaviam; consilio inito, per-
rexerunt omnes ad locum sepulture ejus apud Francos.
Destinatur quod ut honorifice secum transportarent reliquias
ejus, quod implere non valuerunt; nam etiam unum ex os-
sibus ejus totus exercitus transportare non poterant. Tur-
bati sunt itaque, nesciebant quid facerent; tandem quidam
nobilis ex urbe Guenet intervenit, et dixit, "Dum viveret
Sanctus Paternus, a me postulabat semper aream meam, ut
ibi fundamentum sue ecclesie statueret, quidem itaque privavi
ilium sua petitione dum viveret, hanc post mortem donabo;
surgat itaque, sumat honorem, petitionem accipiat." Cum
dicto scrinium reliquiarum a terra sustollunt; faciliter etiam
duo vel unus portant, ad Letaviam veniunt, reliquias in
ymnis et canticis spiritualibus in area nobilis superdicti ho
norifice sepeliunt.
Ita factum est ut sicut templum Salomonis in area horrei
Jebusei honorifice edificatum est, sic templum Christo ama-
bile in area illius nobilis circa reliquias Sancti Paterni edi-
ficare statuerunt Armorici. Et edificata est alia civitas
apud Francos, ubi primo sepultus fuerat; in urbe itaque
Guenet expectant reliquie ejus diem judicii feliciter; anima
autem ejus in celo letatur in imitate novem graduum celes-
tium, in unitate sanctorum episcoporum, confessorum, et
apostolorum, in unitate excellente omnem unitatem, id est,
in unitate Trinitatis, Patris, Filii et Spiritus Sancti. Pre-
camur itaque summum Sanctum Paternum, ut quemadmo-
dum ille feliciter vivit in celis, ita et nos per intercessionem
illius habitemus in celestibus regnis per infinita secula se-
culorum. Amen.
Incipit Possessio agrorum Sancti Paterni Episcopi.
Presente igitur Patriarcha Jerusalem, successerunt tria
regna dextralia Brittannorum sub tribus episcopatibus trium
sanctorum; regnum Seisil consecratione ecclesiarum, et im-
positionem graduum ecclesiasticorum, et confirmationem
episcopalis baptismi, oleumque crismale, et omnia debita
episcopalia ab episcopatu Sancti Paterni accepit. Regnum
VITA SANCTI PATERNI. 197
autem Rein hec predicta jura ab episcopatu Sancti David
accepit. At regnum Morgant a Sancto Eliud episcopalia
debita suscepit; itaque tercius episcopalis locus est apud
dextrales Brittannos civitas Sancti Paterni episcopi. Quo-
modo autem oblatum est proprium tenltorium Sancti
Paterni, predictum est in miraculo, quod egit Sanctus Pater-
rius contra Maelgun.
Quodam vero ternpore dum incolerit Sanctus Paternus
Episcopus cellam suam, contigit ut quidam ministrorum
ejus necessario monasterii silvas visitaret, qui incidit in
latrones, occisus est, illo autem non revertente, dubitaverunt
ecclesiastici viri cur moram faceret sanctis; sed causa mo-
rarum illius divulgata est adusque aures pontificis Paterni.
Quod audiens, et silvam adiens, vocavit ministrum suum
proprio nomine, dicendo, "Responde Reaus magistro." Tune
caput revulsum a cadavere, respondit, "Hie assum Domine,"
Cum qua voce, pervenit episcopus ad locum responsionis,
ubi vidit sejunctum a corpore caput ministri; ac elevatis
oculis in celum, benedixit totum cadaver; cum benedictione
beati viri conjuncta sunt caput et corpus, surrexitque minis
ter vivens. Ambo egerunt gratias in miraculo Christo ; fama
autem suscitationis ejus pervenit ad satrapam, dictum no
mine Eithir; qui commotus virtute miraculi, adivit episco-
pum, inquiens, "Meisunt malitiosi interfectores tui ministri;
et ne ultio divina per commotionem tui animi me anticipet,
veniam peto ; et ut placabilem mentem tuam ad me efficiam;
partem agri elegantissimi dicabo tibi sine repetitione census
alicujus hominis; hoc est ab aggere Liulnum inter duos
amnes, hoc est Retiaul et Peit, usque ad oram maris." Cui
Sanctus Paternus indulgentiam dedit, ac prenuntians, " An-
tequam finias vitam tuam, Domino placebis, et in cimiterio
loci istius honorifice depelieris, ubi solempnitas apud hunc
chorum in eternum celebrabitur, quern vocitant vulgari
nomine fuit Eithir map Arthat."
2c
XI.
imrte HMtefte;
INCIPIT VITA SANCTJE WINFREDE, VIRGINIS ET MARTYRIS.
opere regis archanum operire salubre est, tanto-
pere Dei magnalia non revelare tormentuosum est;
quamobrem quicquid de beata Wenefreda,favente Deo, nobis
traditioire veterum, manifestatum est ad laudem ipsius Dei,
et ad virginis sue merita diclaranda, utpote dignum est in-
choandum. In diebus igitur quibus Catuanus super Vene-
docise provincias regnabat, strenuus quidam miles trium
duntaxat possessor villarum, nomine Teuyth, Eylud films,
in Tekeynglia manebat. Quarum prima Abelityc, secunda
Maynguen, tertia Guenphennaun appellabantur. Huic
Teuyth propago non fuit data,- filia sola excepta Wenefreda
nuncupata ; base statim ab ineunte cepit etate sponsum ada-
mare celestem, horninesque transitorios respuens, sibi soli
suam dicavit virginitatem. Quod illius genitor comperiens,
ex parte solicitatur mestus, ex parte exultabat, gratulabun-
dus. Sibi enim inerat mestitia, eo quod prole carebat, ilia
sola excepta ; et quod quidem gravius ferebat ad servandum
in posterum patrimonium viro ilia nubere renuebat; e con
tra vero gratulatio inerat sibi suam prolem Dei se subdere
dicioni; cujus gratie causa proposuit heros liberabilibus arti-
bus suam tradere satam. Dumque in tali existebat propo-
1 Per Elerium Britannum Monachum Anno 660, aut Robertum Salopiensem anno
1190.-— Ex. Cott. Lib. Brit. Mus. CLAUDIUS A. V. a Wallice, Gwenfrewi.
dtgmtm elb tnd)oatidittn.
ttceleftem
VITA SANCTE WINFREDE. 199
sito, beatus Beunonus pro superfluitate filiorum, Selym
mansione sua privatus, in domo descendit ipsius ; quern he-
ros bene literatum atque religiosum animadvertens, de sua
eum consuluit nata, sibi ejusdem votum enucleans. Per-
pensis itaque prorsus militis elogiis, Beunonus inquit, " Si
Deo tuum in manu mea commendes predium, tecum hie
habitabo, divina lege tuam instruens genitam." Ad hsec
Teuyth, " Domine, si hoe in mea potestate constaret, nemo
me avidius tale quid patraret ; sed nunc, Serve Dei, nisi
nimium diu tibi videatur, te hie morari desidero, quoadus-
que de talibus regis responsum recipiam." At ille, "Caris-
sime fili, progredere teque Deus procedat quo tuum reperias
negocium." Teuyth igitur a domo sua egrediens, domo regis,
domini ejus palatium petiit, ilium obnixe interpellans, ut
sibi fateret, quod de suo patrimonio deliberaret. Ille re-
fert, "O vir venerande,nequaquam mihi vel tibi sortitur tuum
sequestrare rus a provincie communione, ne sibi sit inutile,
vel mee necessitati: sed harum quarumcunque villarum
trium eligeres ad divinum officium tibi libere annuo si pla-
citus fueris, mihique reliquas."
Audito itaque regis responso optimo, domum repedavit,
quicquid a rege audierat, Beunono referens, "Ergo si mecum
manere desideraveris," ait, " ad Dei ministerium, ubi tibi
videatur opportunius in meo elige patrimonio." Beatus
Beunonus inquid, " In Beluye solitudine mihi mansionem
delibero." Quod et ita factum est. Beunonus igitur cum
Teuyth patrocinio suum fixit tugurium in convalle, que
Britonum lingua Sechnant appellabatur; ecclesiam parvulam
ibidem struxit, in qua missam celebrabat, erudieiis divina
cotidie pagina virginem Wenefredam. Siquidem Teuyth
domusque ipsiusque cotidie missarum officia adibant ubi
Beunonus celebrationem categorizabat.
Ea tempestate accidit quadem die dominica, Teuyth cum
uxore ad missam existere audiendam, Wenefredamque in
domo ejus genitoris cunctatam fuisse, causa secum ferendi
misse necessaria, ignem videlicet et aquam cum sale. In-
terea Karadauc, Alauc films, regali stirpe ortus, venationem
200 VITA SANCTE WINFREDE.
ferarum fatigatus, domum appropriavit, potum quercns ni-
mirum, erat enim sitiens; ad quam, ubi pervenit, quo ville
possessor erat interrogavit, secretum enim aliquod habebat,
quod sibi denudare gliscebat. Puella igitur in domo sola
existens interrogavit primus ocius occurrit, eumque elegan-
ter salutans, ad audiendum Beunoni in missa predicationem
parentes suos esse dixit. Caradoco itaque nimphe faciem
candore roboreque confectam intuente, ipsamque totam for
ma et vultu idoneam admirante, illius cor in sui concupis-
centia cepit diffusum exardescere. Deprehendensque illam
solam in domo absque alterius testimonio, sitim obliviscens
pro amoris magnitudine, intulit ei. "O carissima virgo,
meis adquiesce consiliis, mecum procorum familiaritatem
patrando; te enim vehementer concupisco." Ad hsec virgo,
" Domine mi, quale elogium est hoc viri tarn ingenui ut tu,
ad ancillam tarn degenerem uti ego; iterum, Domine, nequa-
quam hoc agere queo, desponsata sum enim alteri viro, cui
ad presens nubere debeo." Audiens ha3C, Caradocus furore
repletus, ait, "Dimitte insulsa hec frivola nugatoria loqui, et
mecum commisceri consenti ; michi nube, et ego te uxorem
ducam". Videns igitur puella viri animum in emulationem
commotum, ad industriam se vertens ne viri opprimeretur
violentia, ait, " Concede mihi, Domine, vestiarum meum in-
trare, ut ornata vestibus decenter tecum possim aptius com-
miscere; linquam enim, ut necesse est, ministerium michi
injunctum, et juxta vestrum ero arbitrium."
Respondit puelle Caradocus, " Si nulla tibi inerit mora,
mihi nimium non videbitur te aliquantulum operiri." Ac-
cepta igitur licentia, per thalamum vallem celeribus adivit
passibus puella, cupiens quam citius se a viri abesse con-
spectibus; Caradocus itaque videns se virginis industria
delusum, furore repletus, cum calcaribus fortiter punxit
equum, puellam querens comprehendere. Puella vero virum
precesserat quousque ad monasterii ostium pervenerat, pacis
tutelam a Deo et Beunono assequi desiderans. Cumque
suum infra limen voluit figere pedem vir earn framea antici-
pavit, ejus abscidens caput. Quod parentes sui intuentes
VITA SANCTE WINFREDE. 201
in extasi aliquamdiu detenti sunt ; et ad se reversi, lacrimis
maduerunt miserandis. Beunonus quoque perniciem hanc
conspiciens mestitiam per maximam irritatus est ; altareque
relinquens ocius ostium adivit, scire volens quis hujuscemodi
peregisset cedem. Ereetis oculis contemplatus est Karado-
cum cruentum adhuc cum gladio in manu saguinolento
stantem ; animadvert ens istud a Caradoco fieri, eum in eo-
dem loco maledixit, statimque in conspectu ejus ille lique-
factus est ut ab igne cera. Deinde Beunonus ad cadaver
revertens, caput ictu gladii intus projectum, corpori de foris
jacenti coaptavit, Deum obnixe interpellans illud vivificare
corpus ne gauderet super illo inimicus. Et mox cum prece
corpus cum viribus resumpsit animam, cicatrice nisi exili in
cervice non apparente ; area vero sanguine ejus infecta cre-
puit, torrensque fons ibidem iriguus scaturivit. Cujus lapi-
des usque in hodiernum diem, utpote in die prima, san-
guinolenti videntur ; mussa etiam ut thus odorat, et diversis
languoribus medetur.
Beunonusque itaque aspiciens Deum propter earn hu
juscemodi peregisse miraculum, sibi in audientia parentum
suorum, inquit, " Soror mi, hunc Deus tibi destinavit locum;
meque oportet alias tendere, ubi Deus mini providerit per
Bendmare, mihi autem circa hunc diem unoquoque anno
hoc facito, casulam mihi dirige de vestro opere proprio."
" Domine mi," inquit, " hoc tibi impendere meo non extat
molestum cordi, sed permaxima mihi videtur difficultas, id
qualiter ad te pervenerit, ignoro enim quo habitaveris." Cui
sanctus, "De hoc tibi absit sollicitudo, saxum extat in
medio fontis rivo, supra quod meas consuevi ruminare preces,
superpone huic in constitute termino casulam, et si mihi
advenerit, adveniat." Sic ab invicem post bendictionem
mutuam disgregati sunt. Beata vero Wenefreda in supra-
dicta heremo multis diebus suam peregit vitam, utpote
Beunonus sibi consulerat. In annis quoque singularibus, in
Johannis Baptiste vigilia, casulam hoc modo Beunono
transmittebat. Super saxum illam aptabat ; saxum vero
ipsam interius et exterius siccam cum fontis fluctibus labans
202 VITA SANCTE WINFREDE.
usque in mare deferebat, et sic per mare ad portam Sach-
len usque ad Beunonum. Ita Beunonus virginis donum
omni anno accipiebat. Huic casule virginis ob meritum
tanta virtus inerat; quod ubicumque Beunonus foret hanc
indutus, nee pluvia humectari nee pilus ejus posset vento
moveri: Talis rei eventu, Beunonus casulam Siccus agnonii-
natus est.
Eo tempore, ut memorant, Romam petiit, visitandi causa
sanctorum apostolorum loca, ut ibi in prsesentia reliquiarum
sanctorum se totam Deo devote offerret. Quo peracto, ad de-
sertum pristinum repedavit. In diebus illis, totius Brittan-
nie sancti ad sinodum Wenefredi concionabantur ; ad quam
aliis sanctis, etiam beata Wenefreda ascendit; ibidem que om
nibus ritu sinodali religiose institutis, videlicet, ut sancti qui
antea disparati singillatim vivebant, nullam habentes regu-
lam nisi voluntatem ; postea gregatim convenirent in locis
ad hoc congruis, et eorum conversationem sub prioribus
provectis sibi prefectis emendarent. Unde contigit beatam
Wenefredam undecim virginibus esse preelectam, ut vite, et
sancte conversationis exemplum ab ea exciperent. Quanta
scientie eloquentia hsec virgo prefulserit, non est nostre fa-
cultatis edicere ; sermones quippe elogii ipsius melle dulci-
ores, lacteque niditiores in sensibus audientium reputabantur.
Unde et ab omnibus publice Candida Wenefreda prenomi-
nata est ; candore enim sophie eloquebatur, et confirmiter
degebat- Locus, quidem, quo cum virginibus conversata
est, Gurtherin vocatur; quo etiam post vite dormitionem
cum consodalibus virginibus, VIII kalendas Julii sepulta,
requiescit in Christo, cui est honor, et gloria in secula secu-
lorum. Amen. EXPLICIT VITA SANCTI WENFRED^E,
VIRGINIS ET MARTYRIS.
INCIPIUNT MIRACULA EJUSDEM. Quedam incolis cogni-
ta vel visa digna relatu decrevimus, a die, quo manare fons
cepit, ubi martiris sanguis defluxerat; miraculum seculis
inauditum, dictu mirabile stupendumque auditu in medio
fontis ebullitu inerat ; lapilli videlicet tres limpidissimi cum
fontis scaturigine ascendentes et descendentes more artano-
VITA SANCTE WINFREDE. 203
rum a jaculatore projectorum de sursum et deorsum sibi
ad invicem obviabant. Sicque multis annis duravit ; tern-
pore vero Dacorum in Tekeynglia, sub Britoriibus subjuga-
torum, femina qusedam infausta ad fontem descendit, que
lapillos speculans, sibi preludere eorum avitate accensa,
unum arripuit et illico reliquorum utrique evanuit ; deinde
domum regressa, instanti morbo correpta est, et infra paucos
dies defuncta est. Confessa tune ante obitum, lapillum reddi-
pit, sed quod prius gestum est omnino latuit. Nee mirum
fratres quique lapides martiris potentiam suo approbant testi-
monio, cum legimus sanctos patres illis in testimonium lapi
des tulisse.
Contigit etiam aliquando quod vir furto increpatus super
fontem, qui sacraria ecclesise martiris perjurium perpetuit ;
sed qualiter beata virgo presumptoribus illicit e assentit tern-
pestive innotuit. Caper enim jam esa in ventre furis orri-
clum balatum protulit, et sic ilium reum esse patuit, " O res
satis horenda quod rationali animali cum testamento denega-
tum est, hoc a bruto, et quod magis est insolitum jam com-
mesto reseratum. Nee ambigandum est quin Dominus
propter sanctos mirabilia faciat, cum ipse in sanctis suis
omnino est mirabilis. Diebus quinetiam Francorum in ea-
dem terra ultio digna a Deo facta est per eandem martirem.
Matrona namque queclam emulationis zelo ducta adversus
ancillam, earn verberibus acerbis discerpebat, et furiose
illam ad virginis ecclesiam fugientem tutele causa verbe-
rando instabat. Miscella vero ad templum veniens ingredi
temptans, ostium reperit firmiter pessumdatum, et antea
infra basilicam tutelam sperans turn ignorat quid agat, osti
um tamen adhesit, sed materia ejus dilacerationi minime pe-
percit. Prospiciens profecto martyr Domini vim sibi illatam
est, condolens pudori suo, et misere compatiens, extemplo
a Domino impertivit vindictam. Captiva igitur diu laniata
sub pedibus prostrata, tandem ut Deus voluit, surrexit et
domine sue sibi incumbentis maxille caput suum impulit ;
quo impulsu gena a compage disjuncta, gulaque retorta ad
aurem alteram; sic usque ad obitum deformis permansit.
204 VITA SANCTE WINFREDE.
Dignum nempe fuit ut qui a flagris ante suam suffocation-
em cessare noluit, usque ad corporis et anime disgregation-
em, a corripiendo earn non desisteretur. Sic sit qui non
verentur Dei et sanctorum tabernacula, implentur facies
eorum ignominia.
Item diverso temporis intervallo, pacis jure ubique per
patriam violato, Francis atque Gualensibus se ad in vie em
oppugnantibus, predones innumeri de Venedocia totam
Tekeyngiam depopulates, octo sacrilegos ad depredandum
etiam virginis Wenefrede habitaculum cum villa direxerunt.
Qui accelerantes, etiam jumenta templi parieti alligata secum
diripuerunt ; sed diu hide non gratulati sunt, enim vero
morte horribili infra breve spatium inficiati sunt. Sed et
principes iniquitatis, qui illud indiderunt, priusquam annus
circumvolutus fuit, nece nefaria affecti sunt. Quid dicam
vobis, "Vixunus de tanta multitudine evasit, qui vel eorum
comitatus tantum tenuit; et quum zelus domus Domini
comedit eum, dejecti sunt dum allevarentur."
Illis iterum diebus quidam ejusdem ecclesie diaconus,
cum sacris signis in collo suspensis protectionis occasione,
de vico quodam parochia3 suse decimam in equis domum as-
portans; ac usque infra metas fundi martyris perveniens,
casu incidit latrones, qui nullam martyri vel ejus sacris re-
verentiam deferentes eum spoliaverunt, et cum exuviis
eum ut pro Deo, vel pro martyre sua sui propitiarentur im-
plorantem secum ire compulerunt. Verumptamen sibi
longius abducto, ex nutu Dei et martiris, menti incidit, ut
fugam iniret. Inita autem ab ipso latronum duce pedeten-
tim investigatus ; denique vero eodem querente ilium ap-
prehendere ruina perpeditus est, et in crure lancea propria
perfossus, nervos amisit femoris dum cedere nescit. Et sic
uno castigato in corpore, reliqui omnes correpti sunt mente,
et diaconus Deo et martyri pro impensa sibi liberatione
grates persolvens, cum rebus domum salvus reversus. Quam-
quidem immittit angel um Dominus in circuitu timentium
eum, et eripiet eos. Quibus autem non est timor Domini
et sanctorum ante oculos eorum invenitur, iniquitas eorum
sibi ad odium, et in verticem ipsorum descendet.
VITA SANCTE WINFREDE. 205
Ea nichilomiaus tempestate, miles quidam Francus ejus-
dem fundi possessor, super rivura fontis molendinum dime-
ciens, aqua stagnare cepit. Cernens autem miles aquam
ad saxum Beunoni erumpere, quod forte suberat, stagno in
medio rivo; precepit ut in stagno poneretur, sed quanquam
centum juga bourn admoverentur a loco sane non resurge-
ret; tarn enim immobilis extitit, ac si fixis radicibus evelli
nesciret ; postremo vero miles operarios suos id ficte agere
opinans, eos iterum atque iterum compellit; ac putans se
solummodo pede posse lapidem evolvere, ira animi permotus,
saxum pede impegit. Sed statim reflexis nervis in poplite
et obduratis, dum vixit claudus effectus est. Eodem quoniam
temporis decursu uxor ejusdem militis ausu temerario ipsam
fontis crepidinem ingressa, quod proprie infirmorum est, ibi
illicite sebalneavit; ast id impune sibi non fuit; sterilis enim
usque ad finem vite permansit, unde pre omnibus doluit.
Equum quippe fuit ut qui in hereditatem martiris venientes,
ejus sanctuarum illicite polluerunt, omnibus postmodum in
eorum circuitu forent illusio et derisuin sub sanationem et ob-
probrium. Talibus et his mirabilioribus infinitis miraculis
contra pravos virgo Domini claruit. Que omnia si literali
memorie traderentur, tempus deficeret citius quam copia
fandi. Hec vero ad castigationem scelestorum ne aliquod
nefas in jure virginis facere oblectent, ista sufficiant ; quia
alias ad sulcandum aratrum nostrum est et provehendum,
scilicet ad virginis beneficia erga egros revelanda.
Tempore quoque Francorum, in eadem regione quidam
dives eger multam pecuniam habens, sed non semetipsum,
audiens famam virginis, devectus vehiculo illuc quantocius
tetendit ; qui ad memoriam beate virginis perveniens, facul-
tate sua tota ecclesie et egenis erogata, seipsum pauperem
reddit, nichil amplius in mundi deliciis oblectans, sed in
Domino confidens. Deinde se tertio in fontis unda loto, et
tertie noctis vigilia in ecclesia cum orationibus finita, mi-
rum in modum audires, ibi tune in pedibus, et in cruribus, et
in brachiis ingens baratrum, que antea a nativitate turpiter
curva, et ad nates contracta, jam ossa suarectam compagura
2D
206 VITA SANCTE WINFREE.
locationem distendebant. Putasne videres illic tune letam
astantium cohortem, et gratulantem Deo et virgin!. Videres
utique, " O quam justa recompensatio qui se peculiali sub-
stantia destituerat corporis proprii, substantiam sensibus in-
tegram viribusque idem recepit, quod dilexerat distribuit,
quod semper affectarat invenit. Et sic qui usu pedum car-
ens vebiculo venerat, pedibus utens plane et perfecte inco-
lumis recessit.
Vir quidam pro delictis penitentia ductus, ferreis ligami-
nibus per multos annos circumclusus, brachiis ferri rubigine
miserabi liter corrosis, ad idem sanctuarium devenit ; perao-
taque ibidem nocte, cum vigiliis et orationibus, diliculo
ad fontem perexit. Eo porro maims lavante, atque brachia
protensius infra fontem extendente, vise sunt sibi due ma-
nus delicate a lacertis suis vincula dissolvere. Quis, fratres,
turn ibi virginem prsesentem dubitat ; vir profecto ab ecclesia
ad fontem exiens ligatus, a fonte vero ad ecclesiam rediens
dissolutus gratulando Deo et martyri sue; pro signo eadem
vincula ibidem suspendit que multis annorum lustris illic
pendere visa sut. Perpendite viri, perpendite mulieres,
quam venerabiliter, et quam reverende hec virgo Domini, et
martyr omnibus est excolenda, que tarn patenter ad se
clamantibus subvenit. Nee est omittendum quod circa
limphaticum ad se venientem ad manus vix tractum agerit;
quamquidem transactis vigiliis, et ablutionibus in fontis fluc-
tibus, ita ilium ab humore superfluo allevavit, quod nichil
nisi ad humane nature competit temperamentum remansit.
Epilencius equidem nihilominus manum martyris sensit ;
ductus namque ex more ad basilicam, ibi noctem vigilando
et orando peregit; mirabiliter ei contigit passio, namque
bis eum invasit, sed in utraque vice nil prevaluit ; in crepus-
culo etenim sibi epilentiam adesse sensit, atque in templum
estinanter cucurrit ; invocato vero nomine Domini et mar-
yris a presbiteris super eum, confestim malum quod inchoa-
. erat eum dereliquit; alia die diliculo morbo in eum grassan-
e, in fontem projectus est, et de reliquo nunquam eum ag-
>ressus est. Similiter duo pueri fratres, eadam infirmitate
VITA SANCTE WINFREDE. 207
eos invadente in fonte project! omnino sanati sunt. Sed et
alii hujusmodi multi et innumerabiles asserunt namque vir-
ginem hanc egritudinem virtute meritorum suorum maxime
delere quamvis et alias abstergat. Calamitosior enim nulla
est quam hec que sensum perdit, cor corrodit, animam
pene evotnit, cerebrum discutit, linguam com edit, spumat,
stridet, membra aduncat, se totam discerpit, et quia sic est,
maxime ad hanc curandum intendit.
Mulier etiam quedam puerum quendam, nlium suum
mutum a nativitate, ad memoriam beate martiris secum at-
tulit. Que celebratis rite solemniis vigiliarum, vi eum fonte
perfudit, et aquam mos misit, filium suum verba recta pro-
mentem, et vestes rogantem audivit. Quo viso, astantes
Deum et martirem glorificantes mirantur, et matri congra-
tulantur. Alia quoque vice venientes quidam consociati
juvenes contract! una, in fontem descenderunt, sed uni
tantum, quia firmus confisus est, salus atributa est; hoc
quidem descenso, membris suis se distentibus, strepitus tarn
horribilis ab eo editus est, ut juxta vel procul positorum
hunc audiencium aures tinnirent. Virtus enim Domini
cum a se precibus sanctorum exiit nequaquam latere novit.
Quidam preterea puer membra sua sibi deputans, inania
quia erant, ob mortua virginis largitudinem molitam statim
adeptus est, ipsa namque precibus nuturalem ei membro-
rum omnium redintegravit statum. Quidam insuper ce-
cus natus, in tabernaculo martyris ritu celebrate, ad fon
tem abiit, et lavit, et vidit, et gratias egit. Pueri necnon
duo, calculo laborantes, virginem petentes digestionem na-
turalem consecuti sunt ; quorum alter privatus ibidem egri
tudinem, continue debilitatus est muse prophecie caris-
mate.
Ad modum horum plerique vermibus usque in medul
las corrosi opem virginis cognovere, enimvero extinctis ver-
miculis sani repatriavere. Nonnulli mentis inopes immun-
dis spiritibus vexati, dentibus dissecantes quoque vana pro-
fantes, in vinculis vix adducti, domum inde remeavere ple-
naria seipsos regentes ratione. Frequenter quoque febrici-
208 VITA SANCTE WINFREDE.
tantes ad ejus gratuitatem pietatem excubantes, sacri fontis
fomento a febribus cujuscumque generis emit; multociens-
que hec virgo benigissima ydropicos contemperat, paraliticos
reformat, podagricos reparat, melancolicos curat. Nee
minus sciasim removet, cancrum eradicat, dilnoim enervat,
emorroim extirpat; quinetiam tussim obstinatum excludit,
ventris tortiones et fluxiones repellit, menstrua obstrusa
sterlitatis dissolvit, sanguinem superfluum, et immoderatum
obstruit. Quid enumerando pauca cuncta explicare temp to;
tot et tanta sunt virginis beneficia, quod eorum infinitas nu-
mero explicare repudiat. Sed ut breviter cunta perstrin-
gam, omnibus languidis, morbidis, egris qualicumque infir-
mitate detentis, martyris hujus suifragium erga Deum pura
fide poscentibus, pie et benigissime, atque omni dilatione
procul remota, extimplo subvenit, atque eos sensibus ac
viribus utriusque hominis ad plenum investit.
Nee lethee oblivionis silentio recondendum est quod post
expulsionem Francorum a tota Venedotia, de fonte ejusdem
virginis constat factum. Fons siquidem martyris trium di-
eruni spacio, lacteo liquore emanare visus est; verum primo
illorum dierum diliculo, colorem lactis verum et saporem
servat. Sacerdos namque a matutinis in ecclesia martyris
ejusdem, ipsi fontis pavimenti cominus, rite celebrantis, sum-
mo mane egrediens, et tale quid comperiens, portando secum
lagenam accurrit velociter, et impletam accurate custodivit
ac diligenter. Denuo accelerans cum spongia ut hanc etiam
impleret, liquor jam nitorem aliquantulum diminuerat. Sic
per tres dies paulatim lac veri coloris cum sapore detrimen-
tum paciens, habitum priorem obtinuit. Et ne quis existi-
met ventorum turbine, aut pluviarum intemperie hoc acci-
disse, sciat non breve tempus ante, et post, etiam tune
absque ulla elementorum commotione fuisse. Et nullatenus
inde debet oriri hesitatio vel dubium, quia et hoc sepius
venisse ab indigenis est auditum. Liquore quidem a pres-
bitero recepto infirmis ubique transmisso et potato, opem
quam virgo agere consuevit etiam hos sanando illis prestitit.
Et bene fons illius lacteus atque dulcis saporis apparuit; quo
VITA SANCTE WINFREDE. 209
Candida Wenefrida prenominata blandam, lenem, mansu-
etam, mellitam, piam, benignam, propiciam, dulcem, miseri-
cordem interpellantibus se ostendit.
Vilipendendum nullo modo est quod adhuc per hanc vir-
ginem circa puellulam actum est. Vesperacente quadam die,
homo cadaver puelle exanime secum ad martyris umbracu-
lum bajulavit, ut sepeliretur. Videns autem sacerdos noc-
tem supervenire, humationem illius usque in mane distulit ;
corpus frigore letali rigidum sudario obvolutum, institis ob-
situm relinquens infra ecclesiam valvasque firmiter obser-
ans, Intrans vero presbiter ecelsiam summo diliculo ad cele-
brandas vigilias ex more, puellam jam juventem ab institis
et sudario penitus dissolutam, clunibus et palmis pro debili
tate adhuc super aream, repente omni mortis signo carentem,
et se hospicium et cibum rogantem invenit ; et gratanter
Deo et martyri gratia reddidit. Quid mirum si exanimes
ad vitam prece sua revocat, qui defuncta denuo revixerat.
Memorie est revocandum quod ad sceleratorum correptio-
nem supra omisimus.
Duo profecto clerici in diversis temporbus infra virginis
mapalia sacrilegium perpetraverunt; quorum alter manua-
lem librum auferens statim cum furto deprehensus est; et
quia dignus est operarius mercede sua, verberibus multatus
est. Reliquus vero missalem codicem furans, omnibusque
ubique pro precio offerens, neminem reperit qui secum mu-
tuaret. Denique quidem nutu Dei retroveniens, et sacrile
gium ulterius abscondere non pervalens, quia promeruit
suspensus fuit. Qui facit mirabilia solus hec miracula prop-
ter virginem et martyrem suam Wenefredam, vel ad reme-
dium indulgentium, vel ad castigationem impiorum non
cessat operari Deus, qui in Trinitate perfecta vivit et regnat
unus per omnia secula seculorum. Amen. EXPLICIT PASSIO
SANCTE WENEFREDE VIRGINIS ET MARTIRIS, VIII. Kal.
Julii.
APPENDIX.
I.
•Brc JpMt Cutrin Santos.1
BUCHED SE1NT Y KATRIN.
t> gwarandewch, a dyellwch yr hyn adywedaf
'** ywch, o'r wyry vendigeit, a elwir Seint y Katrin.
Merch oed hi y vrenhin Constantinobyl, yr hwn a elwit yn
Lladyn Alexander. Yr norm a dechreuawd o'e hyeuengtit
wassanaethu Duw. Ny dywawt kelwyd eiryoet, ac nyd
oed oet arnei, namyn deunaw mlwyd, pan vfudhaawd ygwas-
sanaeth Duw, ac morwyndawt y Duw.
Yn Alexandria yd oed vrenhin a gassai Duw a'r Seint yn
vawr; Maxen y gel wit, ac agafas emelltith Duw ar Crist-
nogyon. Ac ef awnaeth gwled uawr, ac aorchymynnawd y
bawp o'e wlat dyuot yno y aberthu o'e dwyweu ef, ac neb
ny delhei attaw y dodit ygkarchar. Y rei kyuoethawc
adoethant yno, ac anregyon mawr gantunt, a'r rei tlawt a
hanregassant ef herwyd eu gallu. Yn y wlat honno yd oed
vorwyn wyry, a elwit Katrin ; ac ny deuei hi y wassanaethu
ef, nac y wneuthur aberth y eu dwyweu ; ac ynteu a erchis
heb o hir dwyn y vorwyn attaw ef, ac wynteu ae dygassant
hi, a'r gwr drwc hwnnw adechreuawd dy wedut wrthi. " Ha
1 Allan o ysgrif yn y Llyfrfa Brydeinaidd, a nodir TITUS, D. XXII.
212 BUCHEDD CATKIN SANTES.
vorwyn dec," heb ef, "y bwy y credy di, mi aorchymynnaf
ytti gredu ym duw i, ac ony chredy, megys y crettwyf inneu
yn y ffyd a dylyaf y Apolin, a Theruagawnt uchel, mi abaraf
dy diuetha heb ohir, ath grogi mal lleidyr, neu dydodi
ygkarchar kadarn hyt na welych nath draet, nath dwylaw,
os y lessu y credy di."
"Mi agredaf," heb y Katrin, "y vab Meir, yr hwn arodes
eneit a bywyt a synnwyr a nerth a grym y mi; y hwnnw y
credafi, ac ef a enrydedaf, ac yndaw ymae vyggobeith;
vygcorf a elly di ylad; mi agredaf hagen o'm callon yn yr
Arglwyd a dichawn Had yr eneit a'r corf." A Maxen alidy-
awd yn vawr pan dywawt hi o Duw, ac yna y gelwis ef rei
o'e wasnaethwyr, ac erchi udunt dodi Katrin ygkarchar, a'r
vorwyn a garcharwyt; ac eissoes Duw arodes trugared idi,
arodi ryw oleuni yn y yttoed yr eol oil yn oleu ; yr egylyon
adoethant ywaeret, a ryw lawenyd awnaethant yr vorwyn,
hyt nat oed vn dyn yn y byt a allei y dywedut, na challon
y vedylyaw, nac ysgolheic y ysgriuennu. "Morwyn Duw,
nac ofynha di namyn cret yn gadarn, y mae dy le wedy y
arlwyaw rac bron Duw, ac yno ydodir coron am dy ben di."
Maxen a elwis y wyr attaw, ac a ovynnawd kyghor udunt,
pa delw y gallei ef troi medwl y vorwyn y wrth Duw, a
gwassanaethu Apolin y duw ef. Ygyghorwyr aerchis idaw
anuon yndiannot yn ol yr athrawon goreu o'e wlat, o di-
lechtit ac astronomi, megys y goruot ar y vorwyn. Yr
athrawon adoethant hyt yno, a Maxen a dywawt wrthunt
val yd oed y vorwyn ffol, a elwit Katrin, ni chredei o'e duw
ef; "Or gellwch chwi y goruot hi, mi arodaf ywch digawn
o eur ac aryant." Yr athro kyntaf adoeth yno, adywawt
wrth y vorwyn heb ohir. "Tidi," heb ef, "adyly dechreu,
kanys oth achaws di, ydoetham ni yman, ac y kawssam ni
lavr mawr, ac o achaws hynny y dylyy di dangos dy synhwy-
reu, ac o dyna gofyn yn synhwyr ninheu." Y vorwyn ady
wawt dan owenu, " Yn wir ydy vvedafi ytti. bychan yclotuo-
rafi chwi, kannyt atwaenawch chwi vy Duw i, achanys dylyafi
dywedut ohanaw ef, gwrthodwch chwi awch keluydyt
yrdaw ef."
BUCHEDD CATRIN SANTES. 213
Yna y dywawt yr athro, "Merch ydec," heb ef, "ybwy
ycredy di, paham y gwrthody di yn dwyeu ni, atteb ym heb
ohir." " Mi agredaf," heb hi, " y vn mab Meir, a anet o'r
Wyry Ian heb pechawt, a heb folineb, ac heb gymysc yndaw
o drwc, ae a odefawd agheu kadarn dros yn pechawt ni;
athrwydaw ef yn rydhawyt ni o boeneu uifern. ac ydeuwn
y'r llewenyd brenhinawl, yr hwn ny deruyd vyth." Yna y
dywawt yr athro. "Yn awr y clywaii folineb; heb ef,
"kymryt o lessu knawt heb" pechawt, a heb folineb; yn
erbyn dylyet yw hynny, bot mab yr wyry, ny allei hynny
vot vyth, a gallu kaffel hynny heb pechawt," "Kelwyd
adywedy," heb y vorwyn, "achanys o vab y dywedy di,
bychan iawn yw dysynhwyr, lessu adoeth o'r Yspryt Glan,
ny wnaeth Duw anedigaeth, o Veir y ganet ef. lessu
adoeth trwy Yspryt Glan attei hi, megys y mae ysgriuene-
dic yny gret, ahwnnw yssyd hollalluawc, ac ny oes dim
aallo vot yny erbyn ef, Paham weithyon na alleu ef y eni
o'r Wyry, atteb ym bellach," heb hi, " athro kelwydawc."
Hwnnw a attebawd trwy lit mawr, ac o vreid y gallei ef
dywedut rac Hit. ac yna ydywawt ef. "Mi a brofaf," heb
ef, " nat oes wirioned yth atteb di. ot yttiw megys y dywedy
di, Duw yssyd dyn, a Duw yssyd vab, pa delw y gallei vab
Duw varw, na godef agheu marwawl, ny dichawn ef marw
gan iawn kanyt oes agheu yn y anyan ef ; os marw vyd dyn
ny dichawn ef godef agheu megys Duw, na dyuot yn vyw
gwedy bei varw. Pa delw y dichawn dyn goruot agheu.
os Duw ynteu a vu varw, cam oed hynny," heb ef. " ac yn
erbyn anyan yd wyt yn dywedut, ac yn erbyn dylyet Duw
neu dyn ydichawn ef varw. Areit yw yvot ef ae yn duw
ae yn dyn. kanny dichawn ef vot namyn yn vn o honunt."
Pan deruynawd ef y ymadrawd. hitheu a attebawd mal
morwyn doeth. '' Yn erbyn y wirioned y mae dy ymadrawd
di," heb hi, " wrth na mynny gredu, ny chredu di vot yn
wir adywedaf i bot lessu yn Duw ac yn dyn; or mynny di
wybot y wirioned, gwaret ysyberwyt yssyd yth gallon, kan-
nyt oes wirioned ygyt athi, dyret ti yn disgybl y mi," heb y
Katrin, " a mi a baraf ytt wybot y wirioned." Yna y dy-»
214 BUCHEDD CATRIN SANTES.
wawt yr atliro, " Mi a gredaf," heb ef, "yr Yspryd Glan, ac
yr Mab, ac y Duw hollgyuoethawc, ac awrthodaf Vaxen
druan." Yr athrawon ereill a gredassant megys hynny.
A Maxen heb ohir a beris llosgi yr athrawon; eissoes Duw
a dangosses y drugared ef, ny medawd dim or tan arnunt
wy, nac ar eu dillat; yr egylyon adoethant yno, ac adugas-
sant yr eneideu hynny geir bron Duw. Ac yno y dodet co-
ron am ben pob vn o honunt. Ac yna dywawt Maxen wrth
Gatrin. " Ha vorwyn dec," heb ef "cret ti etto ym kyv-
reith i, a mi ath gymeraf yn wreic ym, amyvi avyd brenhin,
athitheu yn vrenhines, a mi abaraf wneuthur delw yn y dref
a elwir Alexandria, o eur oil, yn gyffelyb y duw, aphwy-
bynnac a el y fford yno, wynt a uvydhaant itti. ac val hynny
yth enrydedir." Yna yd attebawd y vendigeit Gatrin, " Yd
wyt yn ynuydu," heb hi, "yr Arglwyd a garaf i, ac ny
pheidyaf ay garyat ef yr dim bydawl; gorwac oil yw dy
ymadrawd di, ymadaw o honaf i. a'm Harglwyd, yr hwn
yssyd gryawdyr nef a daear. y gwr drwc ysgymyn, teilwg
oedwn ym llusgaw wrth vygcrogi." Ac yna y llydyawd
Maxen yn vawr, ac y gelwis y wasanaethwyr attaw, ady-
wedut wrthynt," Kymerwch yr ynvyt hon, a rwymwch hi
wrth bren, a maedwch hi a gwial, yny debyckoch y marw."
A'r gwyr drwc hynny ae maedassant hi, yny reddawd y
gwaet allan ym pob lie ar y chorf, mal y redei y dwfyr y
gaeaf ; ac yn y yttoed y chnawt gwyn hi yn velyn, megys y
violet.
A Maxen a dywawt yna wrth Gatrin. "Gwrthot heb
ohir Vab Meir, ac onys gwrthody, ti agolly dy vy wyt." Yna
y dywawt morwyn Duw, " A druan ynvyt y dy wedy di, vym
poen i, am dolur yd wyf yn eu diodef yr karyat Duw; yn-
wir y dywedaf ytti. mellyssach yw gennyf wynt no'r mel, ar
llefrith melyssaf." "Kymerwch hi," heb y Maxen, "a
dodwch y mywn carchar kadarn, hyt na chaffo hi na bwyt
na diawt." Ygcarchar a dodet hi, ac eissoes lessu, Mab
Meir, ny adawd y wasanaeth uorwyn heb gof, ef a anuones
y egylyon attei, y rei a rodassant y ryw lewenyd, hyt nat
•oed vn dyn yny byt a allei dywedut y llywenyd hwnnw, a'r
BUCHEDD CATKIN S ANTES. 215
digrifwch, na challon y vedylyaw, nac ysgolheic y ysgri-
uennu meint y llewenyd hwnnw, a'r digrifwch, a wnei yr
egylyon y Gatrin; a'r llewenyd hwnnw aglywei Borffir; ac
ynteu aaeth at y frenhines, ac adywawt idi y llewenyd
a glywei ef yn yr eol; ac yna yd aethant yll deu yndirgel
trwy obeith da yn Duw. ac ny wydyat Maxen urenhin dim
oe mynetyat wy. Yn y geol y gwelynt wy oleuat, hyt nat
oed hawd yd dyn yny byt oil dywedut ydecuet ran y ker-
deu, a'r didanwch, a'r llewenyd, a oed yno; ac yna y gal-
wassant hwy ar Gatrin, morwyn Duw, ac y dywedassant."
Neur droes yn calonneu ni oil att lessu Grist, mab Meir,
ac ygkardawt gwedia drossom, a ni a ymwrthodwn a Yol-
kyn, a Thernagawnt, ac Apolin, ac agredwn y diodeifyeint
Duw, a'e gyuodedigaeth." Ac yna ydywawt y vorwyn, " Y
lessu Grist, Duw trugarawc, creawdyr pob peth, y diolchafi
hynny, merthyri vydwch chwy yr y garyat ef, ac nac ofyn-
hewch dim." Ac at Vaxen yd aethant drachefyn, Maxen,
y gwr drwc hwnnw, aberis dwyn Kattrin rac y vron ef, ac
aberis y phoeni o lawer amryw boeneu. " Maxen," heb y
vrenhines, " Cam mawr ydwyd yny wneuthur a Chatrin yr
credu o honei y Duw, ac yr lessu yr hwn awnaeth pob peth,
Tad, a Mab a holl gyuoethawc yw ef, a truan a Vaxen cam
ydwyt yny wneuthur, yn enryded yr Tad mawr a Meir y
vam. ac y Duw hollgyuoethawc yd ymrodafi. A Maxen
druan awrthodaf a Theruagawnt ac Apolin. Nyt oes arnafi
ovyn dy boeneu di."
Ac yna y dechreuawd Maxen ynuydu, a galw ygwasa-
naethwyr at taw, ac yd erchis udunt kymryt y vrenhines, ae
maedu a gwial breisc yny vei varw, "A gwedy hynny crog-
wch hi," heb ef, " herwyd y gwallt, athorrwch y bronneu
ymeith, aphan vo marw na chledwch hi, namyn rydhewch
y chorif yr kwn." Pan gigleu Porffir hynny, y dywawt, yn
teu, " Maxen, gi taeawc truan wyt ti. achyflawn wyt or di-
euyl, dy wreic abereist y hageu. Pa ham druan na leuessit
cladu ychorff hi, teilwng oedut ti yth lusgaw." Yna y dy
wawt Maxen wrth y wyr. " Kymerwch Borffir heb ohir, a
dygwch y eneit y gantaw ae aelodeu." A Phorffir a gyuodes
216 BUCHEDD CATRIN SANTES.
y ar y veingk, ac agymerth yscol yn y law, a phedeir mil a
ladawd o wyr Maxen rac y vron. a'r gymeint arall a vrath-
awd, a Maxen yn edrych. Ac yna yd ofynhaawd Maxen ac
y crynawd rac ofyn o debygu y lledit ynteu yn y diwed. A
Chatrin pan weles hynny, adywawt wrth Borffir. " Peit a
Had, a choffii diodeifyeint Duw yn Harglwyd ni lessu Grist,
mor vvyd y godefawd ef, heb ymlad, heb ymgeinyaw. Os
y'r Duw ymynny di dy varw, a bot yn verthir yr Duw. ny
dylyy ymlad, namyn uvydhau y agheu." Yna ydywawt Por-
fir, " Ydwyfi ar y cam morwyn Duw, gwedia drossofi ar lessu,
ac y titheu yd ymrodafi, Arglwyd hollgyuoethawc, a Ma
xen druan awrthodaf," a'r ysgol yna a vwryawd ef oe law,
yny dorres yn drylleu oil. Maxen yna a orchymynnawd
llusgaw Porffir a'r venhines, a Had eu penneu. A'r egylyon
aduc eneideu y rei bendigeit hynny rac bron lessu Grist,
val yd aethant o'e kyrf. "Dywet," heb y Maxen wrth Ga-
trin. "Gwrthot ti vab Meir, ac ny cheffy vn drwc ar dy
gorf, cret ym duyweu i, ac ymi, a mi a vadeuaf ytt bop
peth." "Mi agredaf y Duw hollgyuoethawc," heb hi. "yr
Arglwyd a wnaeth pob peth, ac or mynny ditheu gredi ual
hynny, yna ybydy di vygkaryat i, ac yd ymrodwn y wassa-
naethu an creawdyr." Maxen aweles yna na mynnei hi dim
oe ewyllys ef, namyn credu awnai hi y lessu mab Meir. y
Harglwyd hi. Yg kallon Maxen ydoed diruawr dolur a
Hit wrth y vorwyn wyry; yno yd oed gwr a el wit Cursates,
yr hwn a gafas emelltith Duw. "Arglwyd vrenhin," heb y
twyllwr hwnnw, "mi a baraf ytt beiryant heb ohir, ae hofyn-
hao hi yn vawr."
Ac yna y gwnaeth ef pedeir rot, a phob vn o honunt yn
troi yn erbyn ygilyd, a danned o dur vdunt; ac ar y rei
hynny y dodet y vorwyn Katrin ; aedrychawd parth y nef ;
ac awediawd ar Duw val hyn. " Y brenhin uchaf, mi a
adolygaf yth trugared y'm heneit, ac yr awr hon yd wyf ym
hageu, ai ym gwaet ym bedydyir i." Y dynnyon truein drwc
adroassant y rocleu yn ebrwyd, eissyoes lessu vab Meir ny
adawd ef heb gof y vorwyn ; y egylyon ef a anuones attei,
ac adorrassant y roden, ac eu dryllyeu llymyon wy o'r truein
BUCHEDD CATRIN SANTES. 217
agcredadun, aladassant deg mil a deugeint, a llawer oc
aweles y gwyrtheu hynny, agredassant yr Arglwyd Duw;
athrwy Vaxen y lias y rei agredawd oil, ac eu heneideu a
aethant y baradwys.
A Maxen vrenhin alidyawd am lad y wyr, ac a vedyly-
awd, pa delw y gallei ef Had y vorwyn ; ac yna ydy wawt ef
wrth vorwyn Duw ymadrawd geu. " Medylya di, vorwyn
de?, etto achret ym dwyweu i ac achaws dy decket, ti
ageffy dy eneit." Ac yna attebawd morwyn Duw, "Ni
thai dim dy ymadrawd di," heb hi, "nyt oes arnafi ofyn dim
oth boeneu di kanys o lewenyd tragywydawl yd wyf di-
ogel i, yr hwnn ny deruyd vyth." Y truan Vaxen a dywawt
yna wrth y wyr, " Arglwydi, beth agyghorwch chwi ymi, pa
delw y dielir y hynuydrwyd ar Gatrin, am na chret hi
ymdwyweu i."
Yna ydywawt y gwyr drwc o vn lief, " Dygwch hi ymaes
o'r dref y lad yphenn." Ac yna yducpwyt y vorwyn o'r dref
allan. ac yd yspeilwyt, a llawer gwreic aoed yna yn wylaw,
ac yn kwynaw am Gatrin, morwyn Dnw; vn truan, o'r
dynyon emelltigedic hynny, adynnawd cledyf llym, ac a
erchis idi estynnu eu phen. " Agwedy hynny," heb ef, " ti
agolly dy ben tec."
" Vym brawt ytec," heb hi, "arho ychydic, vn wedi awnafi
ym Harglwyd, creawdyr nef a daear. Tat a Mab ac Yspryt
Glan, vn Duw yn ysgriuenedic, y brenhin uchaf, mi a adoly-
gaf ytt trugared ym heneit, ac y bop Cristiawn, or agretont
ynotti yn gadarn. Mi a adolygaf hyt yr dy enw uchel di,
Arglwyd. Yneb a gretto yn diodeifyeint i, ac ae koffao
diffyc, y rei hynny, rac eu gelynyon, a rodi trugared oe
heneidyeu; a'r neb a del att vy corff i, ac ae keissyo trwy
dy enw di, rodi yechyt udunt oe heineu. Y brenhin uchaf
yn y Drindawt, dyro ymi waret yr dynyon truein hyn
yman yssyd ym poeni; yr dy drugared di, madeu udunt y
folineb hwn, kan ny wdant beth ymaent yny wneuthur ymi,
a mineu a'e madeuaf udunt ; ac ythlaw ditheu, Arglwyd, y
gorchymynnaf vy hyspryt." Yna ydoeth agel att Gatrin,
ac y dywawt wrthi, " Gennyfi yd anuones lessu vab Meir y
218 BUCHEDD CATKIN SANTES.
gannatau ytti oil yr hyn aercheist idaw, dyred heb ohir or
boen lion y lywenyd diogel tragywydawl." Yna ydywawt
Katrin wrth y gwr truan, " Llad di vym pen i yr awr hon,
kanys vy Arglwyd i a anuones attaf i y erchi ym dyuot y'r
llewenyd ny deruyd vyth." A'r gwr drwc hwnnw a ladawd
y phen hi yna, a llaeth yn lie gwaet a redawd atlan, a'r
egylyon a dugassant eneit y vorwyn vendigeit y'r nef, a'e
chorif agladassant ym mynyd Synai.
Ar neb a del yno y geissyaw gwaret a iechyt, ac a gret-
tont y diodefyeint hi, wynt ae kafFant; a phedeir ffrwt
yssyd yn redec trwy y bed hi oe bronneu o olew. Trwy
yrei hynny y kafas llawer o wyr a gwraged waret, ac nyt
oes neb dyn awypo eu rif ; a hynny awnaeth Duw yrdi hi ;
a ninneu adolygwn y Duw, yn iachawdyr ni, trugared y'n
heneideu, ac arodho yni ,vywyt yny byt hwn yma. megys
y gallom dyuot y diwed da, a charu Duw ae wassanaethu,
megys y delliom y llewenyd ny deruyd vyth yr caryat Seint
y Katrin. AMEN.
II.
Skrljete Itogret
LLYMA Y PROLOG YMBLAYN BUCHED MARGRET.
, ac enryded, a kyfarws, a daler y dyn glew, gwedy
y vudugolyaeth, a ennyc; ac a beir y ereill gwneuthur
y kyryw lewder, yr kaffel y gyfryw enryded, a'r clot, a'r
kyfarws hwnnw wrth hynny, gwedy gwelet o'r ebystyl, ac o
lawer o dyston kywir, a gwedy pregethu o honynt, wy
kymryt o vab Duw yn hannyan ni ym bru yr arglwyddes
Veir. Ac yn yr anyan tyner werydawt hwnnw, diodef o
honaw ef yromni, newyn, a sychet, a llafur, noethi, ac eisseu
da ; ac yn y diwed y brataw, ae werthu y bechaduryet, y
rei ay rwymawd ef, ac ae frowyllawd, ac ae bondistawd, ac
a boerassant yn y lygeit ; a thrwy y gam dystiolaeth ae
barnassant y agheu, ac ynteu yn wiryon ; a gwedy y gam
varnu ef, adiodefawd o gwbyl yn di gwyn, di dryst, y grogi,
ae gladu yr goruot ar drigelyn dyn. Sef ynt y rei hynny, y
knawt, ar byt, ar kythreul ; ac o achaws y vudugolyaeth
honno, y kychwynnawd o veirw ; ac y mae molyadwy ef y
gan yr holl greaduryeit, ac y rodes Duw idaw vywyt diboen,
diagheu, yn dragwydawl, ac y drychafawd y oruchelder nef;
ac y kyfeistawd y Tat Duw ef ar neillaw, yn ogyfuch ac ef
yn vrenhin yr holl greaduryeit, ac yn vrawdwr byw a marw.
1 Allan o ysgrif yn y Llyfrfa Brydeinaidd, a nodir Trrus, XXII.
220 BUCHEDD MARGRET SANTES.
Wrth hynny weithyon, megys y dywetpwyd ar y dechreu,
gwedy gwelet o'r ebystyl, a chlybot, a chredu or bobyl ym
pob kyfeir, diodeifyeint lessu Grist, a'e vudugolyaeth a'e
ogonyant gwedy y vudugolyaeth, yd ysgoelussaud o seint a
santesseu eu bywyt breuawl amserawl yn y byt yma, yr
kaffel kytwledychu a lessu Grist yn y nef ; ac wrth hynny,
trwy agkreifF mab Duw, yr ymedewis llawer a'r byt ac ae
olut presennawl. Ac y doethant yn aghenogyon yr Duw;
megys y gwnaeth y confessoryeit, ar rei ereill a beidyassant
a phob ry w weithret knawdawl, mal y gwnaeth y gwerydon,
ar rei ereill; ny bu digawn ganthunt hynny yn y diodefas-
sant merthyrolyaeth; ac yn y rodassant eu corforoed a'e
heneidiau yr Duw. Nyt y gwyr y rei yssyd anyanawl
udunt bot yn da eu diodef, ac eu pwyll namyn gwraged a
morynnyon a'r meibyon bychein yssyd anyanawl udunt
gymryt ovyn, a gadu eu plygu, a goruot arnynt, ac eissyoes
drwy rat y Yspryt Glan, wynt a safassant yn dirwgyl diys-
gol yn erbyn gelynnyon Crist, ac agynhalyassant y gret ef
hyt agheu.
A chanys un or rei pennaf o'r seint a'r santesseu a dilys-
saf yn kynnal gret Grist, ac yn diodef merthyrolyaeth yr
Duw, vu Vargret santes, megys y mae amlwc y pawb or a
vynno edrych, a gwrandaw y moledic vuched hi, agynhull-
awd, ac a ysgriuennawd Theoturus, gwr llawn ffyd a doethi-
neb Duw, a chyfarwyd yn dyfynder yr ysgruthur Ian, ac val
hyn y dechreawd ef datkanu o'e buched hi.
LLYMA VUCHED Y WYNUEDEDIC VARGRET.
Y Wynuededickaf Vargret aoed verch y DewTdos, gwr
breinhawl bonhedic yn y kyuamser hwnnw, dyeithyr y
vot yn adoli geudwyweu, ac nyt oed idaw ef vn verch,
dyeithyr Margret ehun; ffydlawn agen oed hi, a chyflawn o'r
Yspryt Glan. Hon yman yn y lie gwedy y geni, a anuonet
y dinas, a oed geyr Haw Antioys, mal ar deudec gyrua march
odyno y dyscu. Agwedy marw y mam hi, y mamaeth a'e
BUCHEDD MARC RET S ANTES. 221
magawd yn uanolach, ac yn diwydach, no chynt; furueid
hagen oed hi, a ther iawn, ac yn y gwir Duw y credei, ac ef
yn wastat awediei. Aphan yttoed hi yn dengmlwyd, yn ty
y mamaeth, lie y carei hi drigyaw, clybot aoruc hi gwroly-
aith y seint yn erbyn agcret, ac eu budugolyaeth, a meint
adineuit o waet seint a santessew yny kyfamser hwnnw yr
karyat Duw. ac am enw lessu Grist.
Hitheu bellach yn llawn o'r Yspryt Glan, a ymrodes o
gwbyl y Duw, y gwr a'e hamdifiynnawd hi, ac a rodes rat
idi ygadw y gwyrdawt a'e diweirdeb, megys y rodes y'r holl
werydon, achyn bei bonhedic hi a thec a charueid. kyufuet
vu hi, ac na wrthwyneuawd kadw deueit y mamaeth gyt a
morynnyon ereill.
Ac yn yr amser hwnnw, ydamchweinyawd clyuot Oliuer,
pennadur o wlat yr Asia, y dinas Antioys, achaws hagen y
hynt oed keisyaw methlu Cristionogion, ac eu dwyn y ang-
cret, a pheri y bawp y fforth y kerdei o vrenhinyaeth y arall
adoli y eu dwyweu ef, a thremygi lessu Grist. Apha le
bynnac y clywei ef vot Cristawn oV lie, yd archei ef a gy-
uyneu heyrn eu rwymaw. Achyt ac y gweles ef Vargret
santes yn kadw deueit y mamaeth, y chwennychu aoruc, a
dywedut wrth y wassanaethwyr, "Ewch ym ar vrys a del well
y vorwyn racko, a gofynnwch idi, a'e ryd, ac os ryd, mi a'e
kymeraf yn wreic y mi, a da vyd idi y'm llys, o achaws
ythegwch."
A gwedy ydalym o'r marchogyon, a anuonassei y penna
dur hwnnw, y dechreuis yn ogonedus Vargret galw ar lessu
Grist, a dywedut ual hyn. " Trugarhaa wrthyf Arglwyd,
trugarhaa, achyt a dynnyon enwir naat distryw vy eneit, na
cholli vy muched gyta gwyr creulawn. Par y mi, Arglwyd
lessu Grist, digrifhau ynotti wrth dy voli. Naat Arglwyd
udunt barnu vy eneit y boen, ac naat lygru vyng cret, na
butrau trwy bechawt vyngcorf, ac naat y enwir dybrydwch,
ac anoethineb kythreul. Symut y synnwyr a'r gret arodeist
ti y mi, namyn anuon agel attaf ym llywyaw, ac ym dyscu
y atteb yn divwgyl obeithlawn, kanys mal y gwelir y mi,
yclwyf megys dauat ymplith bleideu; tebyc wyf y ysper
222 BUCHEDD MARGRET SANTES.
wan, neu ychedyd rwng crauageu hebawc, megys brithill
wyfi gwedy dygwydei mywn rwyt. Kanhorthwya vi Ar-
glwyd; gwaret arnafi Arglwyd, ac nac adaw vi yn dwylaw
pecliaduryeit."
Ac ual y kigleu y marchogyon, a anuonassit att Yargret, y
cloethineb hi, ae geireu, ymchoelut awnaethant at eu Har-
glwyd, a dywedut wrthaw, " Nyt oes ar y vorwn a welsam
ni ovyn dy allu di, ac ny wassanaetha hi, ac nyt udfudhaa
yth dwyweu di, namyn Duw hollgyuoethawc a adola, a
lessu Grist abregetha, y gwr a groges yr Idewon." Aphan
gigleu Oliver y geireu hynny, lliw y deurud asymudawd, ac
yna yd erchis ef y dwyn hi rac y vron ef. A gwedy ydyuot,
ef adywawt wrthi. " O pa genedyl ganwyt ti, a dywet y'm,
a wyt ryd a bonhedic." Margret a wrthebawd idaw, " Ryd
wyfi, a christ on oges wryf." Yr ucheluaer adywawt, " Pwy
dy enw di ?" Hitheu adywawt, " Margret ym gelwir i,"
Ynteu yna adywawt, " Pa gret yssyd gennyt ti ?" Margret
adywawt, " Mi a gredaf yn Duw hollgyuoethawc, ac yn
lessu Grist, y Vab ef, a'n Harglwyd ni, y gwr agedwis vu-
gywyrdawt i hyt hyn, a minheu yn diuagyl dihalawc."
Oliver adywawt, " Os gwir hynny, trist a wedi y di, ac
arnaw y gelwy wrth dy reit y gwr a groges yr Idewon."
Margret a wrthebawd, "Dy rieni di agrogassant lessu Grist,
ac wrth hynny neur der ynt wy, efo hagen a bery yn dragy-
wydawl, ac ny byd teruyn na diwed ar y vrenhinyaeth ef."
Ac yna y sorres y brawdwr, ac yd erchis bwrw y wynuydedic
Yargret y garchar, hyt tra uei ef yn keissaw ystryw a
dychymyc, pa wed y gallei ef goruot ar y barnedit hi am
ychret a'e gwyrdawt.
Ac wrth hynny, yd aeth ef odyno y dinas Antioys, a oed
geir Haw, y adoli y eu dwyweu ef, deillon a rnutyon, ac y
geissyaw nerth y ganthunt wy y hynny. Ac yn pen yr eil-
dyd yd eistedawd ef megys brawdwr, yn y lie y bydei y
varn, ac yd erchis dwyn y wynuydedic Yargret rac y vron
ef. A gwedy y dyuot, ef adywawt wrthi, " Trugarhaa vor-
wyn wrth dy gorff, ath degwch, ath dyner ieuengtit, gwran-
daw di vygkygor i, ac adola vyn dwyweu i, a mi a rodaf ytti
BUCHEDD MARGRET SANTES.
gyuoeth, ac enryded mwy noc y neb o'm holl dylwyth." Mar
gret santes awrthebawd, "Duw a wyr," heb hi, "y neb
agroesses vyggwyrdawt i, hyt na essy di vyntrossi i, na'm
kyffroi y ar fford y wirioned ; yr hon a dechreueis ychadw,
a'e chynnal, ac a ymdeeis hyt hyn, kanys hwnnw a adolafi,
yneb y kyffry ydaear racdaw. ac y cryn y mor, ac y byd
ofnawc y gwynnoed.
Ac yna y dywawt y brawdwr, " Onyt adoly di vyn dwy-
weu i vygcledyf adrywana, ac a veistrola dy gnawt ath
esgyrn, a baraf eu llosgi, ac os gwrandawy di vygkygor i a
chredu, ac adoli vyn dwyweu i, mi a vydwyn vn eneit, ac
vn garyat." Margret yna adywawt. "Neur deryw y mi
rodi vyggwyrdawt y arall. megys y kaffwyf gorffowys gyt a'r
gwerydon glan. Crist a rodes y eneit a'e gorff hyt agheu
drossom ni. A minneu arodaf vy eneit a'm corff yrdaw yn-
teu; nyt oes arnafi ovyn dy agheu di, kanys Crist a'm
croesses i ac arwyd y Ian groc ef " Ac yna yd ercliis Oliver
vrawdwr o'e geisseit ef. y gwyr a notteynt holi y Cristono-
gyon, a dilyt arnunt, pa wed y credynt, y drychafel hi yn yr
awyr, a'e maedu a gwial meindost. Y wynuydedic Vargret
hagen aedrychawd tu ar nef, a dywedut val hyn. " Ynot ti,
v'Arglwyd i, ymae vyggobeith i. naat wynt ymgwaradwy-
daw, naat ym gelynyon vygwattwaru, canys pwybynnac a
ymgynhalys a thydi ny watwerir, ac ny waradwydir.
Ac ar hynt, gwedy hynny, y gwediawd Margret yr eil-
weith val hyn, " Edrych arnaf, athrugarhaa wrthyf, Ar-
glwyd, a rydha vi o dwylaw dynyon enwir, ac o law y kigwr
hwn yma rac ar damwein crynu neu wanhau vygcallon rac
y ofyn ef; anuon ym vedeginyaeth a iechyt o nef, megys y
bo ysgawnach gennyf vy archolleu allei vyn dolur, ac ym-
choel vym poen yn llewenyd a digrifwch ym." A thra
yttoed hi yn gwediaw velly, yd oed y keisseit yn maedu y
chorff tyner hi, a'e gwaet yn rydec yn ol y gwial, yn ffrydeu
megys dwfyr o fynnawn loew. Ac ygyt a hynny, yd oed y
ryghyll ar y lawn lief, yn dywedut val hyn. " Cret yn y
dwyweu, Vargret, ac ef ath wneir yn bennaf o'r morynyon,"
Ac yna pan weles y neb a oed yn sevyll yny chylch meint
'224 BUCHEDD MARGRET SANTES.
y phoen, a meint a ordineint oe gwaet, yd wylassant uch y
phen yn dost; a rei o lionunt adywawt wrthi. " Margret
gwybyd di bot yn dygyn gennym ni gwelet y dihenyd a
welwn ar dygorff di, a ryued na wely meint y tegwch ydwyt
yny golli o achaws dy agcret. Pony wely di y brawdwr yn die
ac yn irllawn wrthyt ti. ac yn keissaw ar vrys dydistryw o'r
byt hwn, a dileu dy gorff o'r daear, cret idaw ef a byd vyw."
Margret a wrthebawd, " Och ar kyghorwir drwc, och ar
brawdwyr enwir, beth a erchwch chwi y mi, os vygcorffi
adihenydyir, vy eneit ageiff gorffwys a llewenyd tragywy-
dawl, ac wrth hynny, iawnach oed y chwi gredu ym gwir
Duw, i yneb adichawn agori pyrth paratwys ywch; nyt
adolafi vyth awch dwyweu chwi, mutyon, abydeir a wnaeth
dynyon ae dwylaw." ac yna y dywavvt hi wrth y brawdwr.
" O gi digewilyd, gwna di weithredoed dy dat, y mae y mi
Duw yn ganhorthwywr, a chyt roder medyant ytti a gallu
ar vynkorff i, lessu Grist hagen a amddiffyn, ac agymer vy
eneit i oth law di.
Ac yna yd erchis y pennadur drychafel y chorff hi yr
eilweith yn yr awyr, ac agwial llymyon dryllaw a rwygaw
ychnawt; ac yna ydrychafawd y wynuydedic Vargret y
challon ar Duw, ac edrych yn y nef, a dywedut, "Neuin
kylchynnawdi gwn llawer, a chynghor mawr drygyawc yssyd
ym herbyn. Tydi hagen vym Duw i, edrych vot yn borth
y'm, ac ysglyff vy eneit y gan y cledyf deu vinyawc, a ryd-
haa vy vuylltawt o dwylaw y ki hwn; kadarnaa vi lessu
Grist, a dyro y'm yspryd bywyavvl, mal y trywano vyng
gwedi yn y nefoed, ac anuon y'm golomen o nef gyflawn o'r
Yspryt Glan, a deuet yn ganhorthwy ym, megys y gallwyf
cadw vyggwyrdawt yn diuei, ac ymlad tal yntal a'r neb
aym erbynyo, a mi. ysgwelwyf vyggelyn yssyd yn ymlad a
mi gwedy y dileu a'e oruot. Gorchvycka di ef, megys y
rodych hyder, ac eovynder yr holl werydon y gyffessu ac
eadef dy enw di bendigedic yn yr oes oessoed."
Y kigwyr liynn vwyvwy aoedynt yn gordineu y gwaet hi,
ac yn dihenydyaw ychorff santeid yn y oruu ar y crewlawn
treiswr cudyaw y lygeit ac ael y uantell, kan ny allei edrych
BUCHEDD MARGRET SANTES. 225
ar yr aruthyr boen honno. Ac velly y gwnai bawp or a oed
yny chylch. Ac yna y dywawt y brawdwr, " Beth yw hyn
Vargret, ponyt vuydhey di y mi, acliyt synnyaw a mi, ac
adoli vyn dwyweu, ac or gwyney di hynny, nyt dihenydyir,
ac onys gwyney, vy gledyf a veistrolha ac a drywanaa dy
gorff di, ath esgyrn a wasgarir ar draws y tan." Gwynued-
edic Vargret adywawt, "O enwir digewilyd vawr drygyawc
vrawdwr, o thrugarhaa fi wrth vygcorf, lierwyd dy gynghor
di, vy eneit ynheu agyfyrgollir val y teu ditheu, ac rac hynny
vygcorfi arodaf yboeni megys ycoronhaer vyeneit yn y nef."
Ac yna yd erchis Oliver y bwrw hi yn y charchar amgylch
banner dyd ; ae val ydoeth hi o vywn y carchar, ydodes ar-
wyd croc Crist arnei, ac y gwediawd ual hyn. " Arglwyd
Duw," heb hi, "tidi adospartha pob iawn vrawt trwy dy
doethineb di, ragot ti y crynant yr holl oessoed, dy ovyn di
yssyd ar bawp, yr meint vo y allu, gobeith wyti ybot dio-
beith. Y gwir vrawdwr, edrych arnaf, kanys vn verch
oedwn i y'm tat, y gwr a'm hedew7is, ac wrth hynny, yd
adolygaf inneu ytti na'm hadewych. Par y mi Arglwyd
welet vyggelyn yssyd yn ymlad a mi." Y mamaeth hi
weithori, a oed yn gwassannaethu idi trwy fenestyr y car-
char a'r vara a dwfyr, ac yn gwrandaw ar y gwedieu, ac yn
eu kadw yn y challon yn hyspys gofyawdyr.
Ac yna yn dissymwth yd ymdangosses idi o gongyl y
carchar, dreic aruthyr, amlyw y wallt, ae baryf mal yn eur-
eit a daned heyrn idaw, ae lygeit yn disgleriaw, ac o'e froen-
eu mwc a than ynkerdet, ae dauawt aoed danllyt. ygkylch
y war, a'e vwnwgyl yn troi, achledyf gwynnyas yn y law, ac
arogleu drwc abryriti awnaeth yny carchar, a garym leis
gadarn dost adodes ef, a'r tan o'e safyn a oleuhawd yr holl
garchar. Ac ofyn praff a gymerth Margret santes pan
weles hynny, a glassu mal glasswelltyn a wnaeth, a chryt a
gymerth mal dyn ymron agheu, a chrynu awnaeth y holl
esgyrn, ac ny doeth cof idi, rac meint y hofyn clybot o
Duw ygwedi, ae vot yn dangos idi y gelyn a oed yn ymlad
a hi, kanys hynny aadolygassei ar ygwedi. Ac eissoes
dygwydaw aoruc Margret ar ben deulin y'r llawr, adrych-
226 BUCHEDD MARGRET SANTES.
afel y dwylaw yggwedi ar Duw, a dywedwt val hyn.
"Duw ny ellir y welet a llygeit knawdawl, yr hwn y cryn
yr eigawn racdaw, y neb ygadarnhawys paradwys, ac a
ossodes teruyneu y'r moroed. Ti a yspeileist uffern, ti a
oruuost ar y kythreul. ac a warcheeist y dreic vawr aruthyr,
Edrych cli arnafi, a thrugarhaa wrthyf, ac naat yr anghenvil
hwn argywedu y mi, yr hwn yssyd heb ohir yn keissaw vy
llyngkw." A thra yttoed hi yn dywedut hynny, y dreic a'e
safyn yn llet, a'e kyrchawd, ac adygwydaw arnei, ac a'e
llyngkawd; sef awnaeth arwyd y groc adodassei hi arnei,
tyfu ynggeneu y dreic a mynet vwyvwy yny holldes yn deu
gelwrn.
A chywynna aoruc y wenuydedic Vargret yn didrwc di-
asgengoel ; ac ygyt ahynny eclrych aoruc Margret ar y Haw
assw idi, a hi awelei diawl arall, a'e dwylaw yn rwym, ar
dal y deulin; a phan weles hi y kythreul hwnnw velly
gwediaw aoruc hi val hyn. a dywedut. " Llawen wyfi a
goruoledus, Arglwyd Duw kolovyn fyd, lessu Grist, brenhin
divarvawl creawdur doeth, a dechreu y aneiryf o seint ac
egylyon, grwndwal kadarn yr holl defnydyeu, yr awr hon
y gwelafi vygcret yn blodeuaw, yr awr hon y gwelaf llew-
enyd vy eneit; llyma vi gwedy lyvvelet y dreic coch gwedy
vwrw ydan vy'n traet y'r llawr; llyma y drycwynt a'e wrynti
gwedy enkil, mi awelaf y wenwyn ef a'e gyndared yn enkil
ragofi; ac yn troi idaw ef drachefyn, mi awelaf arwyd ygroc
yn blodeuaw, mi awelaf vygcorfi ; ahynaws arogleu gantaw,
mi awTelaf olew yndytiot attaf, mi awelaf vy llywenyd, llyma
vi wedy gyuodi yn iach. Y dreic lew a ledeis ac aseithreis
dan vyn traet, a'r gobeith a oed gennyf yn Duw. ac wrth
hynny y diolchaf y Duw, kanys tydi yssyd nawd, ac amdi-
ffyn yr holl greaduryeit. Tydi yssyd vudugolyaeth y'r holl
greaduryeit a'r merthyri, tydi yssyd lywyawdyr yr sawl yssyd
vy w, tydi yssyd iachwaywdyr pawb, a hynny yn oes oessoed,
aphoet gwir aphell vo hynny."
A thra yttoed hi yn dywedut hynny ar ygwedi, y kych-
wynnawd y kythreul, ac ymauael a Haw y wynuededic Var
gret, a dywedut val hyn. " Margret," heb ef, "bit digawn
BUCHEDD MARGRET S ANTES. 227
gennyt ti awnaethost, gorffowys bellach a gorthrymu vym
person i, gwastat iawn a pharaus y gwedi di, myui a anuones
y coch vym brawt, yn rith y dreic, yth lyngku di, ac y di-
leu dy gof a'th enw o'r daear, ac o'r byt hwn, ac ylygru dy
vorwyndawt ac ydistryw dy degwch, a thitheu a'e lledeist ef
ac arwyd croc Crist, ac ygyt ahynny ydwyt trwy dy wedi yn
keissaw fy Had inneu."
Ac yna y kymerth Margret y kythreul herwyd gwallt y
ben, ae daraw wrth y daear, adodi y throet ar y warr, a
dywedut wrthaw. " Peit bellach a dywedut am vymorwyn-
dawt i, y mae y mi Duw yn ganhorthwywr; Gorffowys
diawl mawr dryggawc aruthyr, adrycrywyawch y genedyl;
Gwastatta lofrud, Crist yssyd ganhorthwywr y mi, Gor-
ifowys vudret tanbeit enwir aghynuil, awdur vffern; oen y
Grist wyfi a dof a chartrefic wyf yn y iawn ffyd, llawuor-
wyn wyf y Grist, achymar wyf y Duw, y gwr a vu bendi-
gedic yn yr oes oessoed." A thra yttoed hi yn dywedut
hynny, yn dissymwth yd echtywynnawd lleuuer ym press-
wyluot y carchar, ac arwyd y groc awelat yn gyfuch, ac o'r
daear y hyt nef. Ac ygyt a hynny y disgynnawd colomen
ar ben y hysgwyd hi, a dywedut wrthi. "Gwyndyvyt, ti
Vargret, kanys yr holl seint yssyd yth aros ymporth para-
dwys."
Ac yna y dywawt Margret, " Ytti, Arglvvyd, y diolchafi
hynny." Ac ynn y lie, gwedy hynny, y troes hi ar y kyth
reul, ac ydywawt wrthaw, " Datkan di y mi, pa ryw anyan
yssyd ytti." Y kythreul adywawt yna, " Mi a adolygaf ytti
wassanaethuorwyn santes y Duw, y drychafel dy droet y ar
vynggwarr, a mi a datkanaf ytti vynggweithredoed." Ac
velly y gwnaeth hi, ac yna y dywawt y kythreul, " Dialwr
yw vy enw i, gwedy Belsebub. sef oed hwnnw Duw y kyl-
yon, rac meint o gylyon adygwydynt ar y delw ef, o achaws
gwaet yr aniueileit a ledit yn aberthu rac y vron ef; llawer
o weithredoed, a llafur gwirion a lyngkafi hyt ymperued
vyngcroth; sef yw hynny, Uawer o weithredoed da adi-
ffrwythafi, ac yn erbyn pawb yd ymladaf ; ac ny allawd neb
hyt hyn vyggoruot i. A llyma vi vedyr aruot arnaf oW^f-.
228 BUCHEDD MARGRET SANTES.
ti, amlwc yw nat dim a'n nerth ni, nac a'n gallu, pan allo
morwyn ieuangk dyner yn kewilydyaw, an gwarthau ual
hyn." A llawer, gyt a hynny, y dywawt ef, ac yna yd atteb-
awd Margret, " O'r kythreul enwiraf, byd vut o'r lie, a thaw
heb vn geir, a dos ymeith."
A dydgweith arall, gwedy hynny, yd erchis y brawdwr
dwyn Margret rac yvron ef, ac ual yd aeth o dieithir y kar-
cliar, y dodes arwyd y groc arnei ; a gwedy seuyll o honei
rac y vron ef. y dywawt wrthi, " Margret kytsynnyaw a
myvi, ac adola vyn dwyweu, kanys da gweda ytt hynny."
Y santes a wrthebawd, " Ytti bennadur, y gweda adoli vyn
Duw i, a lessu Grist y vab." Ynteu adywawt, <c Noethwch
hi, achrogwch yn yr awyr, ac ennynnwch y hystlysseu a
fflameu gwressawc." A'r keisseit heb ohir awnaethant y
arch ef; a thra yttoed yntwy yn llosgi y chorff santeid hi,
yd oed hitheu yn gwediaw val hyn, "Vy Arglwyd Duw i,
llosc vy arenneu i, a'm kallon, hyt na bo ynof enwired." Y
brawdwr adywawt. "Kyt synnya a mi, ac abertha y'r dwy
weu." Margret santes awrthebawd. "Nyt chytsynnyafi a
thydi, ac nyt adolaf dy dwyweu di, mutyon a bydeir."
Ac yna yd erchis y brawdwr rwymaw y phen a'e thraet.
a'e bwrw ymywn llestreit o dwfyr brwt, a'e dihenydyaw a'e
phoeni yn hwnnw. A'r keisseit poenwyr awnaethant y arch
ef. Gwynuededic Vargret hagen gan drychafel y llegeit tu
ar nef, a dywawt, " Vy Arglwyd, gogonedus yn dragywyd,
torr y rwymeu hyn, a minneu a aberthaf ytti aberth o vol-
yant; Gwnadi, y mi y dwfyr liwn megys dwfyr ffynnawn
fynhonws hynaws, bit leyndit y mi, ac amlwc waret. bit
ffoust didrei di diffyc. Deuet golomen gyflawn o'r Yspryt
Glan, yvendigyaw ydwfyr hwn yth enw di, ac ymgolchi ac
ef, ual y gallwyf gaffel buched dragywydawl. Cadarnhaet
y dwfyr hwn vy eneit i, ac eglurhaet vy synhwyreu, a gwrth-
ladet y wrthyf vy holl bechodeu, a bedydyet vi yn enw y
Tat ar Mab ar Yspryt Glan, yssyd vendigeit yn oes
oessoed."
Ac yn yr awr honno y doeth kynnwryf mawr yn ydaear,
o cholomen o nef adoeth, achoron o eur yn y gyluin, ac eis-
BUCHEDD MARGRET SANTES. 229
ted ar ysgwyd y wynuydedic Vargret arhynt aoruc. Ac
heb ohir y rydhawyt y dwylaw, a'e thraet y maes o'r dwfyr,
ac y gollyngwyt y rwymeu, ac yd aeth ar y thraet y maes o'r
dwfyr dan voli, a bendigaw. Ac yna ydywawt hi, " Duw
Arglwyd awledychawd, gwmpter athegwch awisgawd, ef
awisgawd dewred a chedernyt, ac awisgawd ar y uchaf
grym a nerth."
Ac yna y clywspwyt lief o nef yn dywedut wrthi, "Dyred
Vargret y orfowys, ac y lewenyd lessu Grist, dy Arglwyd
di. Dyret y deyrnas gwlat nef." Ac elchwyl y lief ady-
wawt, " Gwyn dy vyt ti Vargret, kanys coron y gwir vywyt
a gymereist, ath wyrdawt a gedweist." Ac yn y awr honno
y credassant pum mil o wyr, heb wraged a meibon a mor-
ynyon. Ac yna yd erchis Oliver enwir Had penneu pawb or
a gredassei y Grist, ac en hyt awr wedy hynny, yd erchis
Oliver Had pen Margret a chledyf; ac heb ohir yd yma-
uaelawd y keisbylyeit yndi, ae dwyn o dieithir y dinas, a
gwedy dyuot y'r lie, Malcus adywawt wrthi, "Estyn dy
warr, ac aruoll dyrnawt y cledyf." A'r wynuydedic Var
gret a dywawt, " Arho ychedic yni wediwyf, ac yn y orchym-
ynnwyf vy yspryt y'r engylyon a'r seint."
Malcus adywawt, " Adolwc kymeint ac avynnych o am-
ser athi a'e keffy." Ac y dechreuawd hi wediaw ac y dy
wawt val hyn, "Duw," heb hi, " kanys tydi a vessureist ath
law nef a'r daear, ac aossodeist y'r mor deruyneu, na the-
byget neb vot Haw, neu droet y Dyw, pan wnaeth y nef
ar daear a'r moroed; namyn Haw Duw yw y nerth ae allu
ae doethineb adodes messur a theruyn ar bob creadur,
Duw," heb hi, "Gwarandaw vyggwedi, achanihatta y bob
dyn or ay scriuenno vy muched i, a'm gweithredoed, neu
a'e darlleo, neu a'e gwrandawho, yscriuennu y enw ynteu
yn llyvyr ywir vywyt; aphan archo ef ytti vadeueint o
bechodeu ym henw i, na omed ef; aphwbynnac a adeilo
eglwys ym enw i, neu agosto o'e lafur ehun goleuat yn yr
eglwys yrofi, na dwc argof yr dial arnaw ygamweithredoed
a'e argywed ; aphwybynnac yny vrawt arythur, a ordiwed-
her ar y cam, or geilw ef arnafi, ac adolwc vym porth, ryd-
2 G
230 BUCHEDD MARGRET SANTES.
ha di ef o'e boen; a phwybynnac y bo gantaw yn y ty vyg-
gweithred i, am buched ynnyscriuennedic, naat eidigafu
yndau wreic yar etiued, ac naat eni yndaw etiued cloff, na
dall, na mut, ac naat yr yspryd budyr kaffel methyl arnaw,
ac ot eirch madeueint oe bechodeu, trugarliaa wrthaw."
A thra yttoed hi yn dywedut hynny a llawer yn ychwanec
ar y gwedi, y doeth tyrueu mawr aruthyr, ac ygyt ar tyrueu
y doeth colomen, a delw y groc gyt ahi, ac ymdidan a'r
wynuydedic Vargret aoruc. Ac rac ofyn y tyrueu, ar ar-
wydon ereill, aweles pawb ar aoed ynychylch, ydygwydas-
sant yn llwrw eu hwynebeu yr llawr. Gwynuydedic Var
gret hagen pan weles hi wyrtheu Duw a'e nerth, ydygwydawd
rac y vron ef, ac yna yd emneidawd y golomen arnei, ac
ydywawt wrthi. "Gwyn dy vyt ti, Vargret ymplith yr holl
wraged, aphob peth or a adolygeist ar dy wedi, Duw a'e
kanhadawd ytti, a dyret ti, vyngkaredic i, yr lie yssyd dar-
paredic ytt, a mi aagoraf yt borth teyrnas gwlat nef."
Ac yna y kymerth hi ychennat y gan bawp or aoed yny
lie, ac ygorchymynnawd hi wynt y Duw, a'e hyspryt hitheu
a orchymynnawd y egylyon a seint nef. A gwedy daruot
idi wediaw ymdrychafel aoruc y uyny, a dywedut wrth y
gwr adathoed ar vedyr Had y phen, "Kymer dy gledyf,
atharaw vi bellach." Ac ynteu awrthneuawd hynny, o
achaws eglurder gwyrtheu Duw a welsei, ac aglwyssei. Mar-
gret Santes adywawt wrthaw ef, "Ony threwy di vyui. ny
bydy gyfrannawc o lewenyd paradwys ygyt ami." Ac yna
y diweinyawd y poenwr y cledyf, ac y lladawd y phen ar vn
dyrnawt, ac ar y dyrnawt hwnnw gwediawd hi ual hyn.
" Arglwyd nac ymliw ar neb, yssyd yn gwneuthur y dihenyd
hwn arnaf, yr y gweithret hwn, ac na cheryd udunt."
Ac ar y geir hwnnw, y gwr a'e trewis, adygwydawd yr
llawr, ac yna y disgynnawd egylyon Duw, ac a ducsant y
heneit hi y nef dan voli Duw, a dywedut ual hyn. " Ar
glwyd Duw, nyt oes Duw tebic ytti yr holl dwyweu. ac nyt
oes Duw un ryw yweithredoed athi, Sant, Sant, Sant, wyt
ti," heb wynt ympen teirgwith o achaws y drindawt, "ac
Arglwyd Duw yr holl luoed a'r Loll nerthoed, kyflawn ynt
BUCHEDD MARGRET SANTES 231
y nef a'r daear o'th ogonyant ti. laeha di ni yn y goruch-
elder nef. Bendigedic vo brenhin yr Israel, a doeth yn
enw Duw." Cleifyon, weithyon, cloffyon, a dynyon bydeir,
a mutyon, ynvutyon kythreulic, ac effiydyon adoethant attei
y geissyaw gwaret; a wynt agawssant waret oc eu heint,
a'e clefydyeu, trwy obrwyeu y wynuydedic Vargret.
Minheu hagen Theotenus a dugum gorff y wynuydedic
Vargret, ac a'e gossodes y mywn bedrawt, gwedy gweiryaw
ac ireit gwertuawr yn enrydedus; a mi ae gwassanaethawd
hi tra vu yn y charchar, ac ayscriuenneis y budugolyaeth a'e
hamryssoneu, y rei awnaeth hi yn erbyn Oliver enwir. Di-
odef hagen awnaeth hi y deudecuet dyd kyn kalan Awst,
trwy rat a roed yn iachawdyr ni, lessu Grist, y gwr ys-
syd vyw, aphyth a vyd byw, ac awledycha trwy yr oes oes-
oed, heb diwed, a heb orffen yn dragywyd. Idaw ef, y bo
pob gwir volyant, a thragywydawl ogonyant y gan yr holl
greaduryeit, a y nineu madeueint o'n pechodeu, a gwir
lewenyd didiffyc, diorffen, gyt ar Tat ar Mab ar Yspryt
Glan. Poet gwir. AMEN.
III.
Utto imttti
INCIPIT VITA SANCTI AIDUI," EPISCOPI, 11 KAL. MARTII.
iCuft vir quidam nobilis in regionibus Connactorum, no-
y mine Sedia, qui habebat uxorem, nomine Eithne, de
semine Amolgida, de nepotibus Maccuates. Hie autem vir,
et uxor ejus non habentes prolem, ad quosdam sanctos, qui
habitabant Driumlethan venientes, rogaverunt eos ut Do-
minum Christum orarent propter suam sterilitatem. Tune
sancti illi rogaverunt Dominum celi ut ipsis hominibus ad
se venientibus conceptionem boni filii donaret. Deinde sancti
ad eos dixerunt, " Ite in nomine Domini, et vestrum conju-
gium revertimini." In nocte autem sequente, antiqui in
eonjugium se conjungerent, vidit vir Sethneus nomine, stel-
lam candidam de celo cadentem in os uxoris sue Eithne
dormientis. Et ipsa vidit in visione lunam lucidam in os
suum cadentem, Expergefacti autem sibi invicem que vi-
derant nunciaverunt parentes. Post aliquod autem inter-
vallum, impleta sunt sompnia, Deo complente peticionem
illorum. Et mulier ilia, que erat sterilis, concepit filium
plenum gratia Dei et miraculis, sicut in vita ejus monstra-
tur. Illo enim nondum nato, cum venisset mater sancti
Aidui in curru sedens, secus magnum concilium in plebe
1 Ex. Cott. Lib. Brit. Mus. VESPASIAN A. XIV. 2 Sic in MS.
VITA SANCTI AIDUI. 233
sua, quidam magus de turba audiens sonitum currus, dixit.
" Currus sub rege resonat, aut sub gratia Dei." Id est quia
tune in utero matris sue pregnantis erat. In insula autem
Brecrimaige Sanctus Aidus natus est. Et intra illam in
qua natus est, lux non defuit usque in hodiernum diem.
Fuit quidam Rex magnus Ammerus, et ipse immiseri-
cors in plebes sibi sub tectas, et de filiis plebium obsides
tenuit. Et traditi sunt ei quinquaginta ter pueri, et ipse
Aidus unus erat ex ipsis. Tune Aidus super manus suas
venit ad regem; vidensque eum rex Ammerus dixit, " Me-
us est iste puer, et in meam partem ipse veniet." Cui puer
dixit. " O rex, si me defendis, ceteros pueros mecum de-
fende." Tune puer Aidus et semitipsum, et quinquaginta
ter pueros secum liberavit de potestate ipsius regis, et pos-
tea reges Connactorum liberavit.
Alio idem tempore sanctus puer Aidus pastor ovium fuit,
pascens oves octo et vervices oeto; quadam autem die cum
vidisset Aidus octo lupos valde esurientes misertus illis ut
octo vervices manducarent, statimque lupi esurientes com-
ederunt octo vervices. Post modicum intervallum, cum
vidisset puer nutricem suam, id est sororem matris, ad se
venientem, timuit earn causam vervicum et clamavit ad
Dominum, dicens. " Domine, adjuva me." Exaudivit au
tem Dominus preces pueri sancti, et misit Dominus octo
vervices ad octo oves, ut fuerant prius. Quodam autem
tempore super dicti sancti rogaverunt dominum ut locum
resurrectionis eorum ostenderet eis; et venit ad eos ange-
Jus, et dixit eis, "Puer sanctus vobiscum perseverat
Aidus nomine, ipse vobis locum vestre resurrectionis osten-
det." Tune interrogaverunt puerum, qui dixit eis, " Nun-
quid auditis vocemcimbali?" Et dixerunt, " Non audimus."
Et puer dixit eis. "Venite mecum." Et duxit eos per
densas silvas, et posuit eos in loco resurrectionis eorum, et
designavit eis locum. Alio quoque die sanctus puer Aidus,
elevata voce in campis, legebat ; In ilia quoque hora, vena-
tor quidam cum canibus cervum celeriter in eisdem perse-
quebatur campis. Tune cervus in itinere lassus sancti pueri
234 VITA SANCTI AIDUI.
vocem audiens, divertit ad eum, auxilium ab eo postulans,
coram puero genua flexit in terram; sanctusque Aldus suum
ceraculum1 super cornua ipsius ponens, legebat; canesque
perfrequenter discurrentes, cervum videre non poterant; et
sic cervus illesus evasit.
Alio quoque die erant simul in uno loco legentes, sanctus
Aidus, et sanctus Molassus, qui collactanei erant, et inter
se cogitabant peregrinare, et nesciebant quo irent. In ilia
autem hora erant coram ipsis duo ligna magna; et tune in-
spirati a Deo, dixerunt his lignis, "In nomine Domini, re-
velate nobis quid faciemus, et quid nobis futurum est indi
cate." Statimque ista duo ligna ceciderunt in terram, unum
ad aquilonarem partem, et aliud ad australem; ut per
hoc intelligerent quod unus eorum, id est, Molassus ad
australem terram ad insulam Bourn, Aidus autem ad dex-
teram in fines Laginensium pergeret. Alio iterum die eum
sanctus puer Aidus esset in monte, qui dicitur moiis Betho,
in fine diei voluit venire ad locum, in quo habitat Aired
Siniuch. Tune angeli venerunt ad eum, et in manibus su
per tollentes eum deduxerunt ad locum suum, et dimiserunt
ilium juxta crucem in medio castelli sui antequam nox ve-
niret. Altero autem tempore, fuit quidam puer juxta stag-
num Erne, nomine Bosargente, filius Echdach mater Orun-
tham, et puer iste, cum duobus secum pueris, demersi
fuerant in perfundum stagni; Tune mater ejus, predicti
videlicet pueri, lugens circuibat omnes sanctos, rogans eos
ut sibi filium suum resuscitarent. Venitque ad sanctum
Molassum, qui dixit ad earn, " Vade et expecta juxta stag-
num, in quo filius tuus mersus est, ibique superveniet ad te
sanctus Aidus iter agens, et rogabis ilium, et ipse resusci-
tabit tibi filium tuum." Venit ergo mater, et fecit ita,
cumque venisset ad earn Aidus, flevit contra ilium; tune
Aidus siccis pedibus super stagnum ambulans, perrexit ad
locum ubi pueri in stagno dimersunt ; ibique orans, tres is-
tos pueros resuscitavit ad vitam. Et rex Cuchait obtulit
1 Id est; volumen.
VITA SANCTI AIDUI. 235
filium suum cum omni genere suo sancto Aido in eterrmm ;
et sanctus Aldus dedit sancto Molasso filium eundem cum
omni genere suo.
Cum autem sanctus Aidus voluisset suam gent em et pa-
triam deserere, et in exilium ire, rex gentis sue, nomine
Albus, noluit dimittere eum ; cui sanctus dixit. " Dimitte
me ire in exilium, et tibi dabo regnum celorum ;" Sanctus
Aidus respondit, "Accipies tonsuram novam de manu mea,
et eris usque ad senectutem et mortem sub tonsura nova."
Rex dixit, "Michi placet quod permittis, si sustinueris me-
cum usque ad tempus tonsure, ut videamus si iterum capilli
crescent." Et sustinuit sanctus Aidus apud eum usque ad
tempus ; et sic dimisit eum in peregrinationem ; et ipse
Rex usque ad senectutem sub nova ilia tonsura permansit.
Sanctus Aidus in fines Laginensium venit, volensque
sanctas scripturas legere, navigavit trans mare in regiones
Brittonum, ibique apud sancti David civitatem legens,
multo mansit tempore, et multa miracula ibi fecit. Qua-
darn autem die, cum ibi sanctus puer Aidus sedens legeret,
venit ad eum equonomus dicens, " Surge et accipe plaus-
trum, ut cum fratribus ad necessaria onera deferenda pergas."
Statimque puer obediens cito surrexit, et per velocitatem
librum apertum dimisit; pluviaque magna descendens li-
brum non lesit, donee ipse David ad librum pervenit ; dix-
itque equonomus sancto puero ut duos boves indomitos et
asperos teneret ; sed boves isti statim mites et domiti facti
sunt sub manum pueri; dedit quoque equonomus puero
jugum sine loris, et adhesit jugum cervicibus bovum quasi
loris fortiter constringeretur ; quesivitque ab equonomo
puer lignum transversum, quod conjungeret plaustrum id
est huili arinfeni; cui equonomus ait, " Pro isto ligno digi-
tum tuum pone; et sic obediens puer fecit, sed tamen digi-
tus ejus non lesus est. Precesserunt ergo eum omnes
operatores, et remansit sanctus Aidus, et puer parvulus cum
eo; et dixit ei puer, "Rectum erat nobis hoc iter transgredi;"
et ait Aidus puero parvo, " Signa oculos tuos, et veni post
me;" et pertransierunt transgressionem valde bumidam.
236 VITA SANCTI AIDUI.
Viam autem perseverat usque in hodiernum diem et pre-
venit Aidus iterum operatores cum plaustris suis ; et in ista
hora exivit David usque ad maritimam oram maris cum
familia sua, ibique puero sancto dixit. "Quare dimisisti
librum apertum sub pluvia?" Hoc audiens puer Aidus,
genua flexit, et prostravit se coram David, et non surrexit,
donee diceret ei senior David : Et non inquit turn ei, " Sur
ge;" veneruntque fratres ad domum suam, et puer remansit
prostratus in litore; postea interrogavit David, "Ubiesset
puer;" dixeruntque fratres. " Non vidimus eum nisi quando
vidimus prostratum in litore." Tune misit David familiam
suam ad litus, et invenerunt plenum mare, et puerum ja-
centem in mari, et in circuitu illius mare sublevatum est,
et in funiculo traxerunt eum in navem.
Alio quoque tempore, equonomus invidia commotus,
sanctum puerum Aidum occidere cogitabat ; quadam autem
die misit puerum cum alio viro laico et vehiculo, ut ligna
deferrent ex silvis. Suasitque equonomus laico illi ut pue
rum in silvis occideret ; junctis ergo bobus, laicus simul et
puer sanctus perrexerunt in silvas; cumque ibi puer se in-
clinasset ut lignum commoveret, laicus, elevata secure,
ut in caput ipsius vibravit; sed manus illius sursum erecte,
siccaverunt in aere. Tune laicus culpam suam confessus
est, et sic per orationem sancti solutus est. Hoc autem
opus sancto David revelatum est, statimque ipse cito sur
rexit et cucurrit. Tune fratres turbati videntes seniorum
sine ficone ambulari, ficonemque circa unum pedem tenens
secuti sunt eum; venit autem sanctus puer cum vehiculo
ad fluvium qui dicitur Gladius; cum autem vidisset David
puerum venientem, stetit ibi, et dixit fratribus. " Nolite
sequi me," vidit enim sanctus David innumerabilia agmina
Angelorum circa puerum venientem. Videns autem puer
de longe sanctum David se expectantem, venit cito per
fluvium, et prosperas vias ubi hominum nullus prius am-
bulavit, recto itinere ad locum ubi vidit David stantem,
ibique crux posita stat usque in hodiernum diem. Cum
autem fratres ad domum rediissent, cepit David increpare
VITA SANCTI AIDUI. 237
equonomum, et dixit puer sanctus, " Non est necesse ut
ilium increpes; si enim increpaveris eum, ipse mox morietur
et sepulchrum illius nemo sciet," et sic evenit.
Alio autem die, sanctus puer Aidus portavit vas tributi
plenum de cervisia ad suam civitatem ; cum vero venisset
ad aliud iter difficile, juxta vallem, cecidit plaustrum cum
vase in valle et cum bobus; puer autem sanctus signavit
vas et boves, et non perit etiam una gutta de vase, donee
pervenit per plaustrum incolumem ad terram planam. Quo-
dam autem die, films regis, qui erat cecus et claudus et
surdus, adductus est ad sanctum puerum Aidum; et orante
illo, filium regis ab omni languore sanavit. Alio quodam
die, ductus est ad eum vir quidam tabulatam faciem habens
sine oculis et naribus, et benedixit Aidus faciem ejus, et dedit
eidem oculos et nares. Alio quodam tempore, Saxones ve-
nerunt ad bellum contra Brit tones; tune vero puer sanctus
rogatus, cum Brittonibus in bellum pen-exit; statimque Sax-
ones videntes eum, in fuga versi sunt; et Brittones septem
diebus persecuti sunt eos, sic benedicente puero sancto eti
am unus homo in ipso bello non cecidit. Et quamdiu
sanctus puer Aidus in regionibus Brittonum cum sancto
David habitavit, Saxones illuc venire non ausi sunt. Qui
dam latvunderi de Saxonibus, in istas regiones Brittonum
venerunt, ut ibi si possent alicui noscerent ; hoc sciens
Aidus, ejus imprecationibus statini ceci facti sunt; et nemi-
nem ledentes, nee jugulantes, retro reversi sunt, et per to-
tum annum ceci fuerunt. Rex quidam de Saxonibus ad
eum probandum venit, dicens, " Cecus sum et surdus ;" Cui
e contrario, sanctus Aidus respondit, " Neque surdus es,
neque cecus; sed sicut temptando mentitus es, ex hodi-
erno die rex non eris; et usque ad diern mortis tue cecus
et surdus manebis ;" quod completum est sic.
Post hec autem Sanctus Aidus cum benedictione beati
David ad Hiberniam insulam navigavit, venitque ad regi
ones Fothart campi itha; et cum appropinquasset ad terrain,
vidit de mari occisionem quorundam peregrinorum, qui cum
barcis in istam regionem venerunt, et a rege gentis illius
2 H
238 VITA SANCTI AIDUI.
occisi sunt. Tune santus Aldus dixit familie sue, "Cito
eamus ut ipsos miseros, qui nunc jugulantur, adjuveremus;"
percussitque Aldus suum cimbalum de marl, audiens autem
Rex vocem cimbali, dixit " Tsta vox cimbali hominis cum
gratia." Et dimiserunt occidere peregrines. Cum vero
Aldus ad portum venisset ; misit rex unum de suis nomine
Dunma, filium Cainre, et sanctum Aidum suis humeris
de navi accepit; statimque rex obtulit el regionem no
mine Brentrocht, tempore quoque dimittens suam regi
onem cum suo genere, sancto Aido optulit in eternum.
Cumque sanctus Aldus in ilia regione esset, cogitavit in
corde, dicens, " Penitet me apud doctorem meum non in-
terrogasse. Quis in hac insula Hibernie erit mihi amicus
anime?" Tuncque surrexit ut iret trans mare ad Sanctum
David ; cumque sicco pede super mare ambularet usque ad
tertiam partem maris ; ecce angelus Domini occurrit ei, di
cens, " Magna fklucia est quod fecisti ire super mare pedi-
bus ambulares." Cui Aldus respondit, " Non per fiduciam
hoc feel, sed per fidei fortitudinem." Et dixit ei angelus,
" Non est tibi necesse ut anime amicum habeas ; amat enim
te Deus, et inter te et Dominurn medius non erit ; et si
anime amicum volueris, habebis Molue mater Choche."
Tune Aldus reversus est in Hiberniam.
Post hec venit Aldus in illam regionem, qui dicitur,
Ardladrand ; et cum ibi redisset in loco qui dicitur Accel,
cogitavit quod cimbalum suum Brittonum regione oblitum
est. Cumque necesse illi fuisset ut suum cimbalum liora
legitima percuteret, cimbalum ipsius de Brittannia trans
mare veniens juxta se repositum conspexit statim, et in ejus
adventu gavisus gratias egit Deo. Alio quoque die,
Sanctus Aldus in suo curru per mare magnum perrexit a
loco illo qui dicitur Ardladrand, usque ad eum locum Fin
dubuir lertlmandesse, et ungule equorum, et rote non
surit tincte in mare ; sed erat mare solidum, quasi terra
durissima. Post hec venit Aldus ad locum qui dicitur
Dissert Nambri, ibique cum suis fratribus habitavit, et ha-
buit duas vaccas cum uno vitulo; quadam autem nocte
VITA SANCTI AIDUI. 239
cum audisset sanctus Aldus clamorem luporum esurientium,
eibum a domino postulantium, misertus est eis; veniensque
vitulum duarum vaccarum ante ora luporum deposuit, et
comederunt eum. Mane autem facto, surgens cocus cepit
querere vitulum; cui Aidus dixit, "Noli querere, ego
ilium, vobis dormientibus, lupis esurientibus tradidi." Co
cus respondit, " Quomodo vaccas sedare poterimus?" Cui
Aidus dixit, "Tribue modo capud tuum ut benedicam
illud ;" Benedixitque caput ipsius, et ait illi, " Vade, et
tuum capud vaccis ostende ;" Videntes autem vacce capud
clerici veniebant et lambebant illud, et sic mulgebantur,
donee iterum vitulos genuerunt ; et hanc virtutem sanctus
Aidus non una vice fecit, nam morientibus vitulis sanc
tus Aidus capud ministri benedicebat, et quasi vitulum di-
ligebant eum vacce.
o
Quodam autem die, cum sanctus Aidus esset in molen-
dino, molens farinarn tritici, vir quidam de genere Ossani,
venit ad Aidum, postulans ab eo farinam ; cui Aidus bo-
nam farinam dedit. Iterumque idem vir, mutato habitu,
oculumque suum alterum cecans, venit ad sanctum Dei in
nomine Domini farinam rogans. Sed sanctus Aidus calli-
ditatem ejus cognoscens, ait illi, " Quare hoc fecisti, ut ite
rum venires et postulares; ego tibi per nominem Domini fari
nam dabo, sed usque ad diem mortis tue cecus eris, et de
genere tuo cecus non deerit in eternum ;" quod sic comple-
tum est. Alio autem tempore, cum esset sanctus Aidus in
loco illo qui dicitur Vuainmar, homines plebis istius venie
bant ut sua munera apud sanctum Aidum in custodia com-
mendarent. Cumque Rex nepotum Neill, Aidus films
Ammereth, cum suo exercitu illam venisset regionem,
nunciatum est illi quod multa munera plebis in custodia
apud sanctum Aidum efferre. Venit ergo rex cum suis
statellitibus, ista munera afferre volens ; tune sanctus Aid
us posuit vestigium sui baculi inter hostem et locum, in
quo erant munera deposita. Quidam autem preco venit
trans vestigium baculi, dicens, "Non est clericus qui me
prohibere possit transire." Et cum hoc clixisset, statim
240 VITA SANCTI AIDUI.
mortuus est; hoc autem ceteri viclentes, non ausi sunt ven
ire, sed nimio timore perterriti retro reversi sunt preconem
mortuum secum portantes, et sanctum Aidum glorificant.
Venit quoque sanctus Aldus ad locum qui dicitur Sen-
botliendi, habitansque ibi, vidit quodam die lupam cancel-
lantern, nimisque esurientem. Tune interrogavit puerum
qui secum habitabat. "Nunquid habes cibum?" Puer
respondit, "Habeo unum panem, et partem piscis." Cui
Aidus autem ipsum panem accipiens, lupe porrexit, et puer
erubuit. Cui Aidus dixit, " AiFer mihi folium." Qui cum
attulisset, benedicens Aidus de folio fecit panem et puero
tribuit. Post hec venit Aidus ad portum Fernaun, ibique
sub quodam arbore sedit. In illo autem loco, aqua non
erat ; tune Aidus dixit suis, " Succidite arborem istam; et
continuo fons aque surrexit, qui usque hodie dicitur Tipra
Moedoc. Tune vir quidam, nomine Bee filius Cogin, venit
ad eum, et dedit ei fundamentum Coci sui ; ibique sanctus
Aidus mansit. Veniebant autem mulieres, et filia et filia
Becce, ut in propinquo flumine vestimenta lavarent ; viro-
que sancto mulieres videre non placuit, qui dixit eis, "Ex-
ite." At illi dixerunt, " Non exibimus." Tune mulier ves
timenta lavans, pedibusque concutiatis atque sursum exili-
ens subito pedes illius adheserunt pelli, et pellis adhesit
terre, totaque mulier herens pene mortua fuit. Audiens hoc
Bee, venit ad virum Dei rogans eum ut suam solveret filiam,
qua soluta, obtulit Bee suum habitaculum, et suum genus
sancto Aiduo in eternum.
Alio autem tempore, quidam armentarius, juxta locum
Fernan habitavit, cujus mater gravissimo dolore prope ad
mortem torquebatur; ipseque armentarius ad sanctum
Aidum venit, ut ab ipso aquam benedictiam matri postula-
ret. Tune sanctus Aidus surrexit, et cum ipso armentario
ad matrem perrexit ; sed ipse armentarius ante virum Dei
citus ad domum percucurrit, suamque matrem mortuam in-
venit ; qui reversus ad sanctum virum, dixit, " Homo Dei,
noli vexari, mater enim mea mortua est;" cui Aidus respon
dit, " Vade et die matri tue ut ad me salutandum veniat.'>
VITA SANCTI AIDUI. 241
Pergensque armentarius matri locutus est, dicens, " Surge,
vocat te sanctus Aldus." Statimque ilia de morte, quasi de
sompno, sana surrexit ; festinansque ad sanctum Aidum
cucurrit, et gratlas egit Deo nostro, et Sancto ejus. Alio
autem die, sanctus Aldus venit, cum suis auditoribus, ad
sanctum Fintanum, filium Tulchani ; et cum magno gaudio
et honore in hospitio recepti sunt. Cenaque facta, dixit
Fintanus ministro suo. "Vade et die sancto Aido, ut in
hac nocte fiat eis refectio." Et dixit Aidus ministro, "Hoc
quod dixit Fintanus faciemus ;" atque illi dicens ut simili
modo omnibus qui in isto loco consistunt refectio fiat.
Respondit Fintanus ministro, " Die Aido Sancto, Non
possumus nos omnes refici ; multi ex nobis doloribus cru-
ciantur gravissimis, et his doloribus positis refici non pos
sumus." Et dixit sanctus Aidus, " Potens est Deus illis
omnibus sanitatem tribuere." Et cum hoc dixisset, statim
in ilia hora, omnes infirmi sanati sunt, nee ulla macula in-
verita est in eis. Die autem tercio, cum sanctus Aidus ab illo
loco exire voluisset, dixit ei Mundu, " Non exies de hoc
loco donee dederis unicuique suum dolorem, sicut prius
habuit." Cui respondit Aidus, " Donavit mihi Dominus
sanitatem illorum." Et dixit sanctus Mundu. " Etsi dona-
vit tibi Dominus sanitatem illorum, non exies de hoc
loco donee cuique proprium suum dolorem dedisses." Tune
Sanctus Aidus unicuique suum dolorem dedit, et exivit
cum benedictione.
Alio autem tempore, venit rex Brandub, films Cochae,
cum armento magno, per litus Echdromo ; et ecce quidam
leprosus veniens aliquid ab eo postulabat. Cui rex Brandub
ludarium caluum et furuum dedit. Rex autem cum
armento ad amnem, qui dicitur Slane, pen-exit, ibique in ilia
nocte manens gravissimus dolor pene usque ad mortem su
per ipsum cecidit, et in ipsa doloris gravitate visionem vidit,
Portatus est enim ad infernum, et omnes bestias inferni ore
labiis apertis vidit intrare, aliamque bestiam magnam in
porta inferni ore aperto vidit, cujus uncula ad se regem tra-
hebat. Cum pene deglutisset eum bestia, quidam clericus
242 VITA SANCTE AIDUI.
amoenus superveniens ludarium caluum, et fulvum in os
bestie perierit. Et cum bestia ludarium devorasset, interim
rex ab ore ipsius retro versus est. Et iterum uncula bestie
post regem veniens retraxit, et pene deglutivit eum. Tune
idem clericus amoenus baculo suo bestie percussit capud, et
os ejus ignitum clausit, et sic rex Brandub inferni periculum
evasit, et portatus est rex in dolore ad locum, qui dicitur in
Bercrimtham, ibique in gravi dolore fuit. Tune amici ejus
dixerunt ei " Quidam vir, nomine sanctus Aidus, in hac plebe
consistit ; mitte ergo, ut ab ipso aqua benedicta aportetur
tibi." Quibus rex ait, " Ego potius ipse vadam ad homincm
Dei." Ascendensque venit ad locum sancti Aidui ; cumque
Rex Brandub de longe vidisset sanctum Aidum ad se ven-
ientem, dixit suis, " Hie est clericus, qui me de inferno li-
beravit." Tune Rex ad pedes Sancti se prostravit, et dixit,
" Penitet me omne malum quod feci ; omnia quecunque
mihi dixeris, in omni vita mea, ego implebo, tu enim me de
penis inferni, et ejus bestiis solvisti." Et in ilia hora, Rex
ab omni dolore, Sancto benedicente, sanatus est. Et con-
tulit Brandub Sancto Aido multam terram, et in tota vita
sua amici fuerunt invicem.
Quodam autem die cum Sanctus Aidus venisset a loco
qui dicitur Ardladrand, venit ad scopulam Druinne; et vidit
sanctus Aidus sex aratra in errorem ex ire juxta portum
Fernand, et elevata manu, beriedixitque de longe, cecidit-
que unus vir de aratoribus inter cultrum, et vomerem,
et non lesus est; et apud eos nichil periit, nisi una lora
modica; Sanctus Aidus suis comitibus interrogantibus, hoc
indicavit. Alio autem tempore, exire Sanctus Aidus ad
sanctas virgines, filias Aidi filii Cohirbri, secumque ara-
trum cum bobus tulit, ut apud eas araret. Cumque boves
ad arandum jungerent, ecce quedam mulier leprosa ad venit,
rogans ut sibi Aidus bovem largiret ; cui dedit Aidus elec-
tum de ceteris bovem. Tune aratores dixerunt ei, " Quid
faciemus, et quo modo arare poterimus?" Quibus dixit
Aidus. "Expectate paulisper bovem ad nos venientem velo-
citer." Subito autem ex propinquo mari bovem ad se venire
VITA SANCTI AIDUI. 243
conspiciunt, qui suam vocem exaltans, tribus vicibus clama-
vit, suumque collum in jugum alterius bovis humiliter po-
suit; et tribus mensibus veris apud illas aravit, qui in inicio
diei uniuscujusque ad arandum de mari veniens, et ter vo
cem exaltans, iterum in fine diei revertebatur in mare.
Alio vero tempore, ad sanctum Aidum misit sanctus David
ut ad salutandum ilium exiret; statimque Aidus obediens
in regiones Brittonum perrexit. Cumque tempus advenis-
set, ut iterum reverteretur, dixit ad sanctum David, "Quo-
modo vadam per mare?" Cui beatus David respondit, "Vade
ad mare, et quodcumque animal venerit tibi, super illud
ascendens, et gradere per mare." Tune ad mare, Aidus ve-
nit in Brittonum regione, et vidit animal magnum in simi-
litudinem equi magni ; super cujus humerum sedens venit
trans mare in Hiberniam, ad locum qui dicitur Imber
Cremthrain, et animal reversus est in mare.
Alio quoque tempore, sanctus Aidus terminavit quinqua-
ginta diebus, et quinquaginta noctibus in civitate sua,
nichil manducans, nee bibens; et corpus illius magis in
jejunio crevit, et auxit, enim pugnum super longitudinem
ejus corporis, et alium pugnum super cingulum ejus.
Et consummato jejunio, quatuor peticiones donavit illi Deus,
primam, Quicunque de genere Laginensium sederit in sedem
illius, adiverit secum in celo ; et quod non claudetur infer-
nus super familiam ipsius post diem judicii ; et quod virum
uniuscujusque diei de inferno solvit usque ad diem judicii.
Alio autem die, cum sanctus Aidus in curru suo venisset ad
vadum Imgout ; dixit ei auriga, " Die mini, quis post te in
sede tua sedebit?" Cui Aidus respondit, " Vir qui autem
nos aperiat termouelam vadi istius, ipse post me princeps
erit. Exinde cito viderunt scolam magnam cum scutis et
hastis in manibus; erat autem hyemps, et gelu; cumque
scolastici currunt, vidissent unum ex eis exiliens ab tectis
armis termouelam aperuit. Videns autem auriga juvenem
absque linea1 aperientem obstupivit ; et intra se cogitans,
1 Id est dava.
244 VITA SANCTI AIDUI.
dixit, " Nunquid iste apud nos post sanctum Aidum princi-
patum tenebit?" Scolasticus illi dixit sancto, "Volo tecum
ire." Cui Aidus ait, " Unde es, et quo nomine vocaris ?"
Scolasticus dixit, "De genere Mumunensium ego sum, et de
habitatoribus Hirlcore, et Cronanus mecum." Cui Aidus
dixit, "Congruum est, Mochve Locre sequere me;" et statim
secutus est eum. Hie est Mochve Locre, vir sanctus et
religiosus, quern constituit sanctus Aidus post se in princi-
patum. Ipse autem sanctus Aidus, consummatis bonis
operibus, in bona senectute inter choros angelorum suavia
carmina canentium, cum magno gaudio et triumpho migrare
ad Deum, et esse cum Christo, exemplo beati Pauli, concu-
pivit ; sed Dominus eum diutius in carne manere multorum
causa voluit.
Alio autem tempore sanctus Aidus in fine Mumunen-
tium in regiones nepotum Neil Cluana Clabdig ivit, quo
suos propinquos de captivitate solveret, et ad ostium regis,
cum quo genus ipsius captivum fuit venit. Vir sanctus tri-
duum jejunavit ; in ipsa autem nocte jejunii regis filia mor-
tua est, quam sanctus Aidus a regina rogatus, suscitavit;
sed Rex durus viro sancto verbis asperis resist ebat. Cum-
que sanctus Aidus regem maledicere cepisset, puer qui juxta
stabat, dixit " Ave, senior, tuam maledictionem super hanc
petram effunde." Et cum sanctus Aidus illam petram ma-
lediceret statim ilia petra in duas partes divisa est. Hoc
autem videns Rex penitentiam egit, et suum genus dimisit
ei, et dedit ei Rex fundum Cluam Claidbich.
Alio quoque die sanctus Aidus erat in segete cum fratri-
bus suis, numero ter quinquaginta viri; venitque rex Brun-
dub ad messem ; videns autem concordiam et humilitatem
tanti populi admiratus ait. " Mirabile est hoc." Cui sanc
tus Aidus dixit, " Mirabilior est illud quod in isto numero
films mortis non est, nisi unus." Cui Rex ait, " Quis est
filius mortis, ut vigilem eum ?" Beatus Aidus respondit,
" Scies ilium quum hora celebrandi advenerit." Cumque
horam terciam celebrassent, et cantassent, " Pater noster,"
omnes ad terram se inclinaverunt, excepto filio mortis.
VITA SANCTI AIDUI. 245
Tune Rex exiens, interrogavit eum, dicens. " Quare cum
ceteris te non inclinasti?" Ille respondit, " Mens mea aliud
cogitat ; quia gentem meam expecto, ut ad meam provin-
ciam me portent." Et sic venientes portaverunt ilium, et
ante ebdomadis finem jugulatus est.
Quodam tempore perrexit sanctus Aldus in regiones Mu-
munensium, ad arcem Cassil ; Tune equi sub curru steterunt
immobiles; veniensque ad eum angelus, dixit ei, " Vult Deus
ut in aliam pergas viam, idem ad cellam filiorum Duach, in
regionibus Connacta, quia ibi rex Guare gravissimis dolori-
bus, prope mortem torquitur, ut cures eum." Cui Aidus
repondit. " Nolo ire." Angelus dixit. " Quamvis nolu-
eris, tamen ibis, quia hoc vult Deus." Tune Aidus dixit ad
aurigam, "Relinque equos ire quocunque voluerunt; et de-
clinaverunt equi ad aquilonalem partem. Cumque venis-
sunt ad stagnum, decedere equi sub curru siccis pedibus
per stagnum quasi per aridam terrain perrexerunt. Post liec
invenerunt in via duos viros, quibus Aidus dixit; "Indicate
nobis viam nostram." Qui responderunt, " In his locis via
plana non est." Alter dixit. "Si boni clerici sunt, de locis
asperis planum faciunt iter." Tune sanctus Aidus benedi-
cens viam, per montes, et silvas, et grounas sine impedimento
usque ad cellam filiorum perrexerunt; ibique regem Guare
sanavit, et dixit ei. "Regnum tuum tenebis triginta annis;
et in fine vite tue, iterum eris in dolore ut regnum celorum
accipias," et sic evenit.
Quidam vir sanctus volens peregrinari, nomine Molocca,
filius Dimme fuit, venit ad sanctum Aidum, dicens, "Volo
ire in exilium." Cui sanctus Aidus respondit. "Nolo te
peregrinari." Et dixit Molocca. " Si non perrexero Romam,
et ad externas gentes, mortuus ero." Tune Aidus assump-
sit eum secum in currum igneum, et perrexerunt simul ad
Romam. Cumque in ea una nocte rnansissent, iterum re-
versi sunt ad civitatem Fernan, Et dixit ei Aidus, " Nun-
quid jus ire Romam?" Molocco respondit, "Nolo; volo ire
ad plebem meam, sed pudet me ire per viam qua veni."
Tune sanctus Aidus iterum assumpsit eum secum in currum
2i
246 VITA SANCTI AIDUI.
igneum, et profectus est cum eo; et dimisit eum in loco suo,
in medio plebis sue. Alio autem die, erat sanctus Aldus
juxta crucem in ostio domus abbatis, scribens psalmum
cuidam puero. Ipse autem pater subito vidit sanctum Ai-
dum ascendentem per scalam auream, positam inter celum et
terrain, portans secum librum, vel ceraculum pueri. Et
post longuni tempus iterum re versus, non potuit puer sus-
tinere aulam ejus et faciem ; et dixit Aidus puero. " Vide
alicui hoc ne dicas in vita mea." Cui puer respondit, "Si mihi
dixeris, ad quod existi, ego celabo quod vidi." Cui Ai
dus dixit, " Ego exivi ad leticiam, quam fecit familia celi in
adventu columbe, qui fuit amicus meus." Quodam autem
die venit equonomus Mochue Locre ut sanctum Aidum in-
terrogaret quid faceret de modico spicarum scamno quod
remansit in horreo, utrum in terrain mitteretur, an familie
daretur. Cui Aidus respondit, " Illud in terrain fortiter
seminate; et cotidie fratribus habundanter tribuite, et illud
modicum non deficiet donee iterum panis novus adveniat."
Et sic evenit, nam in fine autumni scamnus iste spicarum
integer inventus est. Alio quoque die, cocus venit ad eum
dicens, Hodie mecum in coquina nichil habetur nisi modi
cum vas lactis et parva pars butiri, utrum illud hospitibus,
an fratribus tribuetur?" Cui dixit Aidus, " Omnibus da,
et sic largiter divides, quasi de monte vel de aqua detra-
heres." Tune cocus abjiciens coculum suum habundanter
dividit cibum omnibus, quantum unusquisque accipere
voluit.
Quidam viri callidi et fallaces sua vestimenta in si 1 vis
absconderunt, vestimentum ab eo postulaverunt. Quibus
Aidus dixit. "Sustinete paulisper, donee vestimenta ac-
cipiatis." Tune Aidus occulte misit ministrum suum,
ubi vestimenta eorum abscondita erant. Et allata sunt eis
vestimenta sua. At illi, sua propria agnoscentes vestimenta,
confusi recesserunt vacui. Alio autem die, quidam vir, no
mine Sarran, jugulavit regem Laginensium Brandub. Hoc
audiens Aidus, dixit, " Utinam ilia manus que Brandub ju
gulavit, ex latere illius viri caderet, sed tamen post peniten-
VITA SANCTI AIDUI. 247
tiam." Quod completum est. Nam Saranus ille juxta
sepulcrum regis complosis manibus suis die ac nocte jace-
bat, donee Rex dixit et de sepulcro. "O Sarane, brute,
ignoscitur tibi quod fecisti." Et cum hoc fecisset manus
Sarani ex suo latere cecidit. Sanctus autem Aldus perrexit
ad sepulcrum regis Brandub, et resuscitavit eum de sepul
cro. Cui rex dixit, " Si mihi dederis regnum celorum,
Rogo te ut nunc ad celum pergam :" Tune accepto sacrifi-
cio, perrexit ad celum, et sepultus est in civitate Fern an.
Quidam vir inops, a quo censum multum rex exigebat,
venit ad sanctum Aidum, ut ab eo auxilium quereret. Tune
Aldus semen in terrain mittens, dimidium modii ordei in sin-
urn petentis dedit, statimqe in aurum versum est. Et dixit
ei Aidus. "Hoc regi da, et eris liber." Rex autem videns
hoc aurum, dixit servo, "Quis tibi tan turn auri largitus est?"
Ille respondit, "Sanctus Aidus dedit mihi." Cui Rex dixit,
" Hoc aurum non accipiam, sed Deo, et sancto Aido dimitto
te liberum in eternum." Tune servus ille venit ad Aidum,
et Aidus granum illud seminavit in terram. Alio autem
tempore cum sanctus Aidus oratorium edificare voluisset.
nee tamen artificem habuisset, benedixit manus cujusdam vi-
ri ineruditi, nomine Gobban, et statim sapientissimus artifex
factus est; et fecit optumum oratorium usque ad diem
judicii, et dixit Sanctus Aidus hoc oratorium non deficiet:
quod completum est. Quodam autem die exire Sanctus Ai
dus ad lavandas manus in fonte ; tune alii de fratribus viden-
tes animi inter se dixerunt, " Nullus homo potest commo-
vere sanctum Aidum ad discordiam." Tune vir quidam
brutus ex eis dixit. "Ego possum commovere eum ad dis
cordiam." Erat autem Aidus indutus pellibus vulpium, exi-
ens autem vir ille brutus projecit sanctum Aidum in font em.
Cui Aidus dixit, " Brucior es juvenis de isto opere." Ves-
timenta sancti Aidi juvenis videns arida esse sine una gutta
aque, dixit. "Penitet me quod feci." Cui sanctus respondit,
"Bene fecisti legendo penitenciam; nam si non peniteres,
terra te absorbuisset ; nunc celum habebis, et quadragesimo
die morieris." Alio autem die venit ad eum equonomus,
248 VITA SANCTI AIDUI.
id est Moclioe Locram, dicens. "Quid faciemus quia jam
materiam ecclesie cesam in silvis habemus, sed tamen viros
qui multa ista onera et gravia deferant, non habemus." Cui
Aldus dixit. " Vos ite in domum vestram, et quicquid in
ista nocte audieritis, nolite aspicere." In ilia autem nocte
magnum sonitum audierunt in civitate, et nemo ausus est
videre. Tune quidam relaicus ex eis per foramen clavis
perspexit, et vidit multitudinem juvenum bonarum forma-
rnm, cum comis aureis usque ad scapulas, ligna deferentes,
et isti angeli metiti sunt fundamenta ecclesie. Tune sanctus
Aidus dixit angelis, " Cessate ab hoc opere," quia nisi vir
perspexisset totam ecclesiam angeli facierent; postea Gob-
banns facieret.
Quodam autem tempore, cum sanctus Aidus in finibus
Mumunensium ambularet, baud procul a cella sancte Ite,
audivit longum sonum cimbali. Cumque Aidus interrogas-
set " Quis iste esset sonus," dictum est ei, "Alumna sancta
Ite nunc mortua est, veni ergo ut resuscites earn." Tune
sanctus Aidus misit unum de suis cum baculo suo; cumque
baculus viri sancti super puellam positus esset, viva et sana
surrexit. Quidam fur coronam de pecoribus sancti Aidi
furatus est, et comedit; Cumque fur ille coram sancto Aido
jurare voluisset quod animal illud non comedisset; auris
corone in labiis visa est, et omnes circumstantes deri-
serunt eum. Alio autem die venerunt quidam viri ha-
bentes sanctum unum vinctum duxerunt; cumque per
silvam pergerent, quidam latrunculus inimicorum suorum
occurrit illis. Tune illi hue illucque fugientes virum vine-
turn reliquerunt; et hie vinctus reversus est ad sanctum
Aidum, et liberatus est. Quodam autem die sanctus Aidus
in angulo ecclesie sue stetit longo statu. Tune sanctus
JVIundu, films Tulchani, videns eum, dixit illi, " Quid est
quod \ides illuc, re vela mini;" tune sanctus Aidus signavit
oculos sancti Mundu, et vidit sanctus Mundu totum mun-
dum ab ortu solis usque ad occasum. Alio autem tempore
cum sanctus Aidus in via ambularet, occurrit ei Colmanus
nepos Fiacrach. Ilia autem liora equus Colmaiii mortuus
VITA SANCTI AIDUI. 249
est. Tune Aldus equum sub ctirru Colmani dedit. Et cum
ab invicem discessissent, alius equus Jacinctus, a Deo missus,
sub currum sancti Aidi statim venit. Cumque Colmatius
reversus esset, equus ipsius vivus et sanus surrexit in occur-
sum ejus. Quodam autem die, cum sanctus Aidus ligna
pomifera in terrain plantasset, vir qui ei semina malorum
deferebat, detulit cum ceteris infructuosa ligna, id est bren-
sei et pruni, sed sanctus Aidus omnia commuriiter plantans,
et de his arboribus infructuosis, ligna fructifera cum pomis
fecit. Alio autem tempore multitudines populorum nepo-
tum Neill, et Connactorum, et Vlathanensium et Dailriati, et
Dail Aradii et aquilonares totius partis venerunt ut ducer-
ent de regione sua in vindictam Cummascaig filii Aido filii
Ameredii. Tune Rex Brandub exiit ad salutandum Aidum,
Cui Aidus dixit, " Ite ad certamen et nos omnes in certa-
mine erimus." In ilia autem nocte tota sanctus Aidus
tensis manibus in oratione stetit, et rex Brandub commisit
bellum, aquilonales in fugam versi sunt, et viginti quatuor
certamina in una nocte dederunt se in fugam. Quidam
homo venit a Roma paraliticus, qui per totum mundum sa-
nitatem sui doloris quesivit, et non invenit. Cum omnes
dicebant, " Nullus potest te sanare, nisi sanctus Aidus in
Hibernia;" cumque venisset trans mare, invenit sanctum
Aidum mortuum; sed saliva, quam in ore sancti Aidi in
venit, ilium sanavit ab omnibus doloribus suis.
Fuit vir quidam infirmus annis triginta in finibus Lagin-
ensium, nomine Finanus ; hie in die festivitatis Sancti Aidi,
que est 1 1 kal Martii, vidit currum mirabile de celo de-
scendentem ad civitatem Fernan; in quo erat clericus
amoenus et femina palliata. Et interrogavit eos, quospiam
essent, et respondit clericus, " Nos sumus sancta Brigida et
Aidus, venimusque ut benedicamus loca nostra, et eos qui nos
suis donis, et oblationibus honorificant in die exitus nostri;
tu vero letus esto, quia in die tercio ad celum ibis." Post
hec exiit currus ad cellam Daro. Alio autem tempore
sanctus Mailing in Lochar principatnm Fernan teuuit, et in
lectum sancti Aidi ascendit. Cui quidam clericus dixit,
250 VITA SANCTI AIDUI.
" Noli ascendere in lectum sancti viri ;" dixitque Mallino-,
" In illo dormiam." Cumque in lectulum ascendisset ; sta-
tim dolor gravissimus apprehendit eum. Tune ait Mallino-,
" Athu orefetor arsetlm galq fil form in munde, ceu indim-
bebad oithu." Sed tamen dolor non cessabat urere ilium;
iterumque dixit Mailing, " Aisu oroferor arlussu non mice
nadab, iarnassu mertha liaig act tusu." Sed tamen dolor
non cessabat torquere eum valde. Iterumque Mallino-
dixit, "A itru de curche meic debi arcet gal quam ma-
domhi minerica nifil arde nodicca fonim." Tune Mailing
surrexit de lectulo, et promisit quod in illo lectulo non dor-
mivit iterum. Et dixit Mailing, " Non quisque dignus est
dormire in lectulo sancti Aidi ; ego non dormiam in eo."
In hoc apparet quantam gloriani sanctus Aidus habet in
celis, in cujus lectulo nemo potest dormire in terris. Sanc
tus enim Aidus inter chores angelorum, et apostolorum, et
omnium sanctorum epulatur in celis, in gaudio sine merore,
in regno sine fine, in vita sine morte, in conspectu Domini
nostri Jesu Christi, cui est honor et gloria in secula seculo-
rum. AMEN.
IV.
ifita iiratti
INCIPIT VITA SANCTI BRENDANI.
, films Tinloc, nepos Alti,
^ de genere Cogeni Straguile regione Numensium ortus
fuit. Hie erat vir magne abstinentie, et in virtuti-
bus clarus, triumque millium fere monaclioriim pater fuit.
Cum autem esset in suo certamine in loco qui dicitur Sal-
tus virtutum Brendani, contigit ut quidam patrum ad ilium
vespere venisse, nomine Barurchus, nepos Neil regis. Cum-
que interrogaretur multis sermonibus a predicto patre,
cepit lacrimari, et se prosternere in terrain, et diucius perma-
nere in orationibus. Sanctus Brendanus erexit eum de
terra, et osculatus est eum, dicens "Pater, cum tristitia
habemus in tuo adventu ; nonne ad consolationem nostram
venisti : Magis letitiam tu deberes fratribus prestare ; prop-
ter Dominum indica nobis verbum Dei, atque refice animas
nostras de diversis miraculis que vidisti in oceano."
Tune sanctus Barurchus, expletis his sermonibus, cepit
narrare de quadam insula, dicens. " Filiolus meus, Mernoc
nomine, procurator pauperum Christi, confugit a facie mea,
et noluit esse solitarius, invenit insulam juxta montem lapi-
dis valde deliciosam. Post multum vero temporis nunci-
1 Ex Cott. Lib. Brit. Mus. Vesp. A. XIX.
252 VITA SANCTI BRANDANI.
atnm est mihi quod plures monachos secum haberet, et
multa mirabilia per ilium Deus ostenderet. Itaque perrexi
illuc ut visitarem filiolum meum. Cumque appropinquas-
sem ter trium dierum, in occursum meum festinavit cum
fratribus suis. Revelaverat enim Dominus ei adventum
meum; navigantibus autem nobis in predicta insula preces-
serunt nobis obviam, sicut eramus apum ex diversis cellu-
lis fratres. Erat enim habitacio eorum sparsa, tamen una-
nimiter eorum conversatio in spe fide et karitate fundata
erat ; una refectio ad opus Dei perficiendum, una ecclesia
erat ; nichil cibi aliud ministrabatur illis, nisi poma et
nuces atque radices, et cetera genera herbarum. Fratres
post completorium in singulis cellulis, usque ad gallorum
cantus, seu campane pulsationem pernoctabant.
Nobis autem et filiolo meo perambulantibus totam insu-
lam, duxit me ad litus maris contra occidentem, ubi erat na-
vicula pusilla, et dixit mihi. "Pater, ascende navem, et navi-
gemus contra orientalem plagam, ad insulam que dicitur
terra repromissionis sanctorum, quam Dominus Deus clatu-
rus est successoribus nostris in novissimo tempore." Ascen-
dentibus igitur nobis, et navigare incipientibus, nebuli coo-
peruerunt nos undique in tantum, ut vix potuissemus puppim
aut proram navis videre. Transacto vero quasi unius hore
spacio circumfulsit nos lux ingens, et apparuit terra spatiosa,
et herbosa, pomiferaque valde. Cumque stetisset navis ad
terram descendimus nos, et cepimus circumire, et peram-
bulare illam insulam per quindecim dies, et non potuimus
finem ipsius in venire. Nichil igitur herbe vidimus sine
flore, et arborem sine fructu ; lapides enim ipsius pretiosi
omnes genere sunt. Porro quinto decimo die invenimus
fluvium vergentem ab orientalium parte ad occasum; cum-
que considerassemus hec omnia, dubium nobis erat quid
agere deberemus; placuit itaque nobis transire fhimcn; sed
expectavimus Dei consilium.
Cum hec exposuissemus inter nos, subito appamit quidam
cum magno splendore, coram nobis, qui statim propriis
nominibus nos appellavit, atque salutavit, dicens, "Euge boni
VITA SANCTI BRENDANI. 253
fratres, Dominus enim revelavit vobis istam terrain quam da-
turus est suis sanctis. Est enim medietas insule istius, us
que ad istud flumen; vobis autem non licet transire ulterius;
revertimini igitur unum ex istis." Cumque hec dixisset, in-
terrogavimus eumUnum esset aut quo nomine vocaretur. Qui
ait, " Cur interrogas Unum sim, aut quomodo vocarer, cur
non potius interrogas de ista insula, nam sicut illam vides
modo, ita ab initio mundi permanet ; ergo indiges aliquid
cibi aut potus, aut vestimentis, unum enim annum es in
hac insula, et non gustasti de cibo aut potu, nunquid fecisti
oppressus sompno; hec nox te cooperuit, ergo ut tu certis-
sime scias dies, namque est semper sine ulla cecitate, ulla
tenebrarum hie ; Deus enim noster, Jesus Christus lux
ipsius est. Et nisi homines contra preceptum Domini
egissent, in hac amenitate permansissent." Quod nos audien-
tes inlacrimas conversi sumus; quo postquam quievimus con-
festim inchoavimus iter; et ille predictus vir nos pervenit
usque ad litus, ubi erat navicula nostra.
Ascendentibus autem navim nobis, raptus est ille vir ab
oculis nostris ; et venimus nos per predictam caliginem ad
insulam deliciosam ; at ubi nos viderunt fratres, exultabant
exultatione magna de adventu nostro, et plorabatur multo
tempore, dicentes, " Cur patres dimisistis oves nostras sine
pastore, in ista silva errantes. Novimus autem abbatem
nostrum frequenter a nobis discedere in aliquam partem, et
ibidem demorari, aliquando unum mensem, aliquando duas
ebdomadas aut unam, sive plus minusve." Cum hoc audis-
sem, cepi illos comfortare, dicens, "Nolite fratres putare
aliquid nisi bonum ; nostra conversatio procul dubio est
annon paradisi porta hie prope est, insula que vocatur
Terra promissionis sanctorum, ubi nox nee imminet, nee dies
finitur. Illamque frequentat abbas Mernos ; angeli enim
Dei custodiunt illam ; nonne cognoscas in odore vestimen-
torum nostrorum quod in paradiso Dei fuimus." Tune fratres
responderunt, dicentes, "Abba, novimus quia fuisti in para
diso Dei; nam sepe per fragrantiam vestimentorum abbatis
nostri probavimus que pene usque ad quadraginta dies
2 K
254 VITA SANCTI BRENDANI.
nares nostre tenebantur odore. Illic et ego mansi duas eb-
domadas cum filiolo meo sine cibo et potu; in tantum
sacietatem corporalem habuimus, ut ab aliis videmus repleti
musto. Post quadraginta vero dies, accepta benedictione
fratrum et abbatis, reversus sum cum sociis meis ut redirem
ad cellam meam, ad quam iturus sum eras."
His auditis, frater Brendanus cum congregatione sua, se ad
terram projecit, glorificantes Deum, atque dicens, " Sed
Justus Dominus in omnibus viis suis, et sanctus in omnibus
operibus suis, qui revel avit servis suis tanta ac talia mirabi-
lia, et benedictus in donis suis, qui liodie reficit nos spiri-
tuali gestu."
Hisfinitis sermonibus dixit sanctus Brendatus, "Tamenad
refectionem et ad mandatum corporis novum." Transacta au-
tem nocte ilia, accepta benedictione fratrum cellam suam
sanctus reversus est Barurchus. Igitur sanctus Brendanus de
omni congregatione sua electis bis septem, inter quos fuit
preclarissimus, ac Deo dignus adolescens, Macutus quidam,
ab infantia sua electus, usque ad finem vite permansit in
Dei laudibus. Quod si quis noscere voluerit ejus venera-
bilem vitam, inveniet ejus opera prima et novissima que
prseclara habentur. His assumptis venerabilis pater Bren
danus conclusit se in uno oratorio cum illis, et locutus est
ad eos, dicens, " Conbellatores mei amantissimi, consilium
et adjutorium a vobis postulo ; quia cor meum, et om-
nes cogitationes mee conglutinate sunt in unam voluntatem
tantum, si voluntas Dei est, terram de qua locutus est pater
Barurchus repromissionis sanctorum in corde mei spiritus
1 Non amplius in MS, quam aliqua verba obscura.
V.
ik tarti
INCIPIT VITA SANCTI TATHEI CONFESSORIS. KAL. JAN U ARIL
)C quidam Hibernie, regum illius insule nobilissimus,
regali linea ortus, nomine Tathalius, habuit filium
unicum, Tatheum nomination, legitimis moribus ornatum,
et a primeva etate ab omnibus illecebris immaculatum
purum et conspicuum, quasi auri metallum. In hac virgi-
nali probitate manens, nullis in eo videntibus quo fieret in-
conveniens, orabat cum sedulitate, inspiratus amore divino,
et celesti desiderio. Parentes itaque cum viderent puerum
secularia despicere, et ad celestia tendere, voluerunt Deo
reddere quern elegerat; quia puer conabatur illuc ascendere,
a quo primitus pervenerat. Protinus res pervenit ad effec-
tum. Commissus est filius ad studium literarum ; eruditus
fuit denuo florente ingenio ; quicquid a docentibus audiebat
lion sequebatur oblivio. Indesinenter studebat sine fastidio,
donee disciplinalis scientia in eo claruit, quasi fructus insur-
gens ex flore optimo; volabat fama famosissimi juvenis per
immensam Hiberniam ; hac audita, innumerabiles juvenes
confluebant undique ad audiendam illius doctrinam
1 Ex. Cott. Lib. Britt. Mus. VESPASIAN, A. XIV.
256 VITA SANCTI TATHEI.
Interea rege infirmante, communi civium consilio, unicus
natus de istico consortio deditus, advocatus fuit ad civita-
tem, ut a genitore reciperet regiininis curam. Ille vero
deicola regnum terrestre despiciens, at celeste eligens, noluit
recipere consilium turn recipiendi, ne retinetur invitus, ro-
gavit dare ut consultus Salomonicum preceptum posset adim-
plere, quod dieit, " Omnia fac cum consilio, et post consilium
non penitebis." In nocte proxima, vox angelica alloquitur
sopientem, " Ecce asto et consulo ne postponas primitivam
intentionem, caducam hereditatem ne diligas, infinitam pa-
triam non amittas; quecunque videtis in seculo evanescunt
cum luctu, et periculo ; luctuosa universa que audistis, peri-
culosa omnia que respicistis ; Respicite ergo perpetualia
quatinus reloceris dextralis in parte dextra; qualis enim et
quantus debet esse vigor intrinsecus, ut possit expelli oc-
cultus insidiator et inimicus. Die crastina sine dilatione
ad equoreum ostium tendito, et ad Britanniam transito, ut
destinatum est tibi qualitercunque precipio poteris." Ex-
perrectus traxit visionem ad memoriam, leto ammo, octo
discipulis comitantibus, pervenit ad equoris ripam. Cum
ita pervenissent, invenerunt naviculam sine instrumentis
navalibus incommodam, congaudentes intraverunt, et sine
remige veloque et remo, quocunque dirigebat ventorum in-
flatio, Deo annuente, cum prosperitate navigaverunt ad
Brittanniam Savernam.
Ad ultimum, per longitudinem freti, appropinquarunt
Guentonie, et appulerunt in ostio vocato ex additamenti
vocabulo gentis. Ingressi sunt octo ad litus, relicta navi-
cula sine retinaculo, virtutum assimilantes octonario numero,
quibus erant nitidi a primeve etatis primordio. Quidam
dives vicinus balneo parato ut consuetudo erat in sabbato,
vidit illos lassos ex itinere et navigio advenientes ; illis visis
noluit balneare donee prius balnearent hospites balnei lava-
cro digniores. Postquam venerant et intraverant, recepti
fuerunt honorabiliter a domestico, ut debent recipi advene;
commemorabat enim sermonem Domini, cum veniret Judi-
cus in supremo die, qui dicet, " Hospes fui, et recepistis
VITA SANCTI TATHEI. 257
me." Dum requiescerent, missus est ad ostium ut alligaret
absolutam naviculam per retinaculum. Ille adveniens et
accedens litoreo margin!, vidit cervum more humano cum
pedibus funem retinentem ne navicula submerget ad amis-
sionem. Amirans et stupefactus valde cum festinatione re-
diit; et quod viderat admiratione magistro et ceteris re-
nuntiavit.
His relatis, gratias immensas egit creatori, qui domuerat
feritatem indomiti. Remisit ergo propter mitem bestiam,
collaudans et magnificans summi instigantis clementiam.
Cervus mitigatus et retentus ligamine reducitur, cunctis am-
irantibus de adveniente. Precepit eum interficere, et pre-
parare ad crastinum prandium, nemo tamen est ausus ledere
nee in eo manum extendere, propter ostensum in eo mira-
culum. Deus volens ostendere interficiendi signum, coegit
bestiam jacere ac protendere collum, quod mirabilius fuit,
ut per extensionem interficerent, et eo uterentur ad profi-
cuum dum jacuisse, ut manifeste fuit divina dementia,
Que largitur egentibus postulanda donaria,
Precepit tandem cito dilaniare jacentem,
Extendit collum, monstrabat se moriturum,
Tendit ad interitum, res mira peracta per istum,
Et cervi feritas sancti leniret ad escas.
Hoc peracto aperte miraculo, dives iste et hospes, con-
cessione regia, servivit Sancto Tatheo, et insuper sua pro
genies que procederet ex illo in futuro. Caradocus, rex
utriusque Guentonie, ut audivit famam famosissimi viri et
venerabilis, et miraculorum magnificentiam, misit legates
rogantes ut ad ilium venire t, quatinus ab illo evangelica
hortamenta audiret, et audita retineret. At ille humiliter
legatis respondit, "Rex vester, si cupiat nos visitare, hue
veniat; ego autem regem secularem, et regis copiosam
familiam non visitabo." Legatis redeuntibus, et renuntian-
tibus que audierant, rex non dedignans, sed magis obtempe-
rans, viginti quatuor militibus comitantibus visitavit hono-
258 VITA SANCTI TATHEI.
rabilem doctorem, rogans immensis precibus ut ad urbem
Guentoniensem tenderet, et illico studium regeret; quia
cives diligebant ejus adventum, qui inter eos stabile retin-
eret magisterium. Vir doctissimus rogatui obediens regali,
ac talentum sibi commissum seminare cupiens, adivit proxi-
mam civitatem, et incepit regere studium ; confluentibus
undique scholaribus ad erudiendam scientiam septem disci-
plinarum. Datus est illi imprimis a rege, ager suburbanus
ad precationem, a publica via usque amnem ; agro dato, vi-
dit locum aptissimum divino servitio ac clericali habitatione
digno ex angelica exhortatione. Et Caradoci regis filii
Ynyr nobilissimi donatione, in honore sancte et individue
Trinitatis fundavit templum, in quo constituit duodecim
canonicos, consilio et licentia Landavensis episcopi, singulis
horis constitutis visitantes oratorium. Unde Sanctus Ta-
theus collaudabat civitatem, ac civitatis fertilitatem, dicens,
" Urbs bona, fertilis, ardua, nobilis, Guentoniensis,
Sors mea, dedita gratia celica, civibus istis.
Sedula subveniat, que vos defendere curat,
Et nos defendat, qui defendenda gubernat."
DE DIVITE ET FILIO.
Nobilis quidam et locuples decem filios habens, decimum
vovit studio literarum commendare, et Deo servire ; ut per
unum natum, novem melius possent accrescere. Donata
fuit Yacca cum illo suo doctori, in tantum lacte habun-
dans per quam habebant septem discipuli cum magistro per
estatem, et autumnale tempus pulmentaria. Custodieba-
tur pastorali cura cotidie in prato surburbano. Cum armi-
geri de civitate cum septern et quadraginta equis venerunt
ad pratum, et solutis equis, incidendo et calcando corrum-
punt totum. Pastor videns nequiter talia egisse ingressus
est ad dominum suum Tatheum, et narravit de invasione
familie et e quorum. Sanctus vero pacienter sustinuit, no
lens irasci, sed oravit pro malefactoribus ut se convertent et
VITA SANCTI TATHEI. 259
emendarent in melitis. Exaudita oratione a summo audi-
tore, qui dixit, " Michi vindietam ego retribuam ;" et om-
nes equi, qui pratum violaverant, defuncti inventi sunt.
Armigeri nequissimi yi denies dignam vindictam fieri de
corruptione prati, festinanter narraverunt regi mortiferam
caballorum pestilentiam. Rex intelligens hec fuisse per
illorum injuriam, injuriosos expulit a civitate, affligendo per
verbera. Et continue nudis pedibus, familia sequente, pro-
pinanter ad pium, et castissimum sacerdotem genuflectendo
et postulando veniam oiFerens et promittens emendare quie-
quid sui deliquissent ad voluntatem suam. Ille electus
Dei servus perdonavit quod deliquerat, nolens precari ut
dampnarentur, quamvis essent dampnabiles; commemorans
Dominicum sermonem et evangelicum, qui dicit, "Nolo mor
tem peccatoris, sed ut convertatur, et vivat." Emendatione
data et impleta, cunctis ibi videntibus, mirabilius equi vivi-
ficati sunt. Unum omnes glorificabant Deum, et lauda-
bant vivificatorem gloriosissimum post tale miraculum.
Hoc viso miraculo, rex donavit sancto Tatheo totam civi-
tatem, et totum territorium libere pro eterna hereditate; et
ammonitus angelica ammonitione, precatus est iterum celes-
tem cultorem quatenus in crastino equitaret, et monstraret
edificium locum, quem donaretur Deo et sibi regale et
civile palacium. Ille summo mane equum ascendit, et sine
freno, et capistro, quocunque Deus regeret, et duceret, ire
concessit. Incipit itaque iter capere, ab urbe arduo rectore
regente, et ducente, donee fere pervenit ad ripam Saverne.
Cum illuc pervenisset, stetit equus pedibus fixis in terram,
et aurea compede ligatus ; quamvis cogeretur non ibat ul-
terius. Respiciens equum stantem, dixit,
" Cernite signa Dei, stat equus status hie remanendi,
Sic monet, edifices, sit et hie tua regia sedes."
Postea de compede composuerunt baculum, a quo sana-
batur egroti ab omni genere languorum. Placuit regi
Caradoco sue habitationis locus si fontana aqua fluerat, que
perficeret habitantibus ; his dictis,
260 VITA SANCTI TATHEI.
" Pressit equus glebam pedibus dedit arida gut tarn,
Et tantam liquidam, veluti per brachia venam."
DE VACCA ABLATA.
Nocte quadam venerunt latrones de regione Gunlyu regis
ad Guentoniam et furati sunt predictam vaccam. Ducen-
tes ad illius civitatem, ductam interfecerunt, et in caldari-
um carnem incisam posuerunt. Quippe quanto plus coque-
retur caro, tanto amplius cruentaretur in caldario. In cras-
tino venerabilis Dei famulus audiens a pastore vaccam esse
ablatam, invenit vestigium vacce prope civitatem miro modo
in lapide positum ; inde dicebat vir sanctissimus,
" Hie lapis in medio calcabilis, et canus nitro,
A pede vaccino vestigia fixa videndo."
Inde cognoscens cum suis sociis viam per quam latrones
perrexerant, investigavit sagaciter unam vaccam, et unicam,
donee pervenit ad palatinam portam. Rex Gunlyu adhuc
nequam videns innocentem, et suos consocios advenientes,
precepit servientibus deponere caldarium aqua fervida ple
num, et cooperire cum juncis, et desuper lineo panno ad
sedile dolosum. Sanctus vir justissimus, ut imperavit, lo-
catus est per tales insidias super caldarium cui prefuit
celeste sustaculum. Cum putant dolosi malefactores ilium
cadere in fervorum medium, sedile fuit solidatum quasi la-
pideum. Rex cernens divinitatis amatorem protectum
fuisse divina tutela, inclinavit ad genua obsecrans miseri-
cordiam tribuere ex dolositate nequissima. Ille more reli-
giosissimi viri, ex sua parte indulsit malefactum ; tali pacto
ut non repeterent sui familiares latrocinium. Post hec
vacca ei fuit restituta. His dictis, carnem et ossa posuerunt
super corium ; his ita compositis, revixit, et coram om
nibus surgens consociando remeavit.
VITA SANCTI TATHEI, 261
DE MIRIFICO IGNE.
Sanctus Cadocus in juvenili etate florens, ilia vice inscius
genitoris manens post insigne miraculum visum, consocia-
tus est sapientissimo doctori, patris licentia habita, quatinus
erudiretur in scripturarum scientia. Die quodam igne ex-
tincto in magistral! habitaculo, missus fuit Cadocus juvenis
propter ignem deferendum ad vicinum cujusdam rustici cli-
banum, qui rebellis erat, et inexorabilis ad petendum. At
illo nolente dare, nisi deferret in clamyde ; attulit tali
pacto datum mantello ab igne tamen illeso ad magistrum.
Carbones superstites quamdiu conservati duraverunt, expelle-
bant morbos, et salutiferi dicebantur, et habebantur a cunctis
gentibus illis. Hoc peracto miraculo mirabili, clarissimus
doctor Tatheus voluit ut sanctus Cadocus mitis et obediens
amplius maneret in magistral! obedienta; quia viderat et
audierat Deum per eum operari tanta miracula. Deinde
invitus et deflens discessit a magistro carissimo amplius
eruditus pre omnibus discipulis, et introductus in gimnasio.
In reditu non permisit genitorem inique vivere, donee egit
penitentiam ex omni illicito operi ; ammonuit ilium orare,
assidue vigilare, egenos pascere, jejunia repetere ; et dum
solveret jejunium, modicum panem cinericum, scilicet cum
cinere mixtum, aquatico potu sequente, omni hora nona
sumere. At ille conversus paruit filii ammonibus, spernens
terrestria adhibuit celestibus.
DE PUELLE MARTIRIO.
Puella, Machuta nomine, custodiebat oves sibi commissas.
Ilia custodiente, venerunt sepe duo latrones, et ambo fratres
volentes furari unum arietem triennem, magnum et pinguis-
simum, et non cum grege poterunt. Quando non possent au-
ferre, ilia ignorante, compulerunt puellam pariter ad siluam,
ariete ablato et necato, decollaverunt innocuam, ne inti-
maret latrocinium et rapinam. Postea grex incus toditus et
dispersus, rediit apud vespertinam horam ad ovile; quern
sanctus vir moderabilis audivit advenientem absque puella,
2 L
202 VITA SANCTE TATIIEI.
et ariete. His auditis, cloluit, et omnes condoluere de am-
missione virginis fklelissime. Nocte prima dum orando
vigilarent ut Deus, unde dubitarent quo puella devenerat,
declararet, venerunt duo fratres homicide ad ostium habita-
culi, confitentes arietem furare, et quod erat nequius homi-
cidium operari. Clamabant compuncti dolore, repetentes pro
malefactis suis indulgentiam donare, dicentes, " Locum mar-
tirii ostendimus, ne vos dubitetis amplius." His auditis,
precepit eis ad antistitem pergere, et post confessionem
impositam penitentiam implere. Aurora surgens, tetendit
clericis consociantibus ad locum quern monstraverant, et
invenerunt virginem martiritatam, sicut predixerant. In
eodem loco fundavit ecclesiam in honorem virginis Machutc
constitutam. Noluit corpus ibi virgineum permit tere nisi
in loco quo solum deberet jacere. Allatum est itaque ad
urbem Gwentonie, et conditum in pavimento temple, cujus
anima quiescat in eterna pace.
Subulcus Tesycbius, postea sanctus heremita conversatus,
conquestus est sancto Tatheo de ariditate terre ubi gregem
porcorum custodiebat ; queremoniabilibus verbis auditis et
oratione a summo auditore, manavit fons liquidissimus, et
manat absque defectione.
Beatissimus Tatheus babuit duas columbas domitas que
frequentabant descendere, et ludere super mensam. Unde
consolabatur videre, et audire modulationem columbinam.
Cum quodam die volarent inter refectorium et ecclesiam,
rapuit milvus unam. Clerici videntes rapuisse illam, nun-
tiaverunt magistro rapinam; hoc audito cloluit, tamen
sperans per Dei virtutem adhuc esse restibutam. Die cras-
tino, illo veniente ad hospicium, peracta missarum celebra-
tione, descendit rapax milvus tenens columbam per ungui-
bus, et solutam et incolumem reddidit ante pedes sanctissimi
doctoris. Hoc videns, gavisus est, dicens,
Ecce columba modo vivit, que mortua sero,
Hec volat, et ludit, sibi vulnere pectore salvo,
Laudo creatorem, qui dat solatia servo,
Prebuit hanc volucrem, michi misit ab alite milvo.
VITA SANCTI TATHEI. 263
Predictus subulcus venit quodam die ad dominum suum
piissimum Tatheum, conquerens nimium de perditione por-
cellorum. Postquam pervenerat, interrogatus fuit a domino
quid quereret, aut quid sibi contigat; ille vero respondit,
timens valde ne irasceretur per sermonibus quos pertulit,
inquit, "Lupa sevissima visitavit gregera porcorum spatio
hujus hebdomade, rapuitque porcellulos unius scrofe, devii
sunt, vivus nullus est hodie. Sequor vestigia rapacis lupe
intra speluncam, nequeo defendere. Sic nutrit catulos por-
cellina carne. Doleo, Nunc adjuva me pro dolori." His
auditis, respondit subulci querimonialibus verbis, dicens,
"Vade fidelis famule, nee amplius doleas, quia Deus mitiga-
bit sevitiam lupe mea oratione, ne magis noceat ut nocuerat
ante." Reversus est itaque subulcus ad gregem letus, et
mane crastino vidit lupam venientem, et suum catulum in
ore tenentem, solvitque retentum et alieimm reliquit ad
ostium, et mitigata, non quasi bestia, intravit saltum. Ca-
tulus relictus, numine divino concesso, orbate porce continue
sugens ubera adherentis ut propria. Crevit enutritus ut
canis domesticus, non quasi lupus, sed custos in saltlbus,
Deinde annorum trium spatio, nulla bestia nocuit gregi nee
latro. In termino tercii anni, ut solebat omni die, visitavit
habitaculum domini Tathei, et pro aliqua causa que displi-
cuit ministranti, ille dedit ictum lupino lateri. Ictus atque
offensus, et se volvens tribus vicibus, regressus est ad sil-
vam, non revertens ad gregem iterum propter iram et in-
dignationem. Sic lupa reddidit porcellulos venerabili
Tatheo. Quid mirabilius est auditum tanto miraculo.
Emittente sanctissimo Tatheo spiritum de corpore, angeli
celestes consociati sunt illi ; et viri in emissione fulgur ange-
licus replebat thalamum, odorificus in naribus omnium.
Nares odorifere per odorem mellifluum sentiebant dulcedi-
nem, ut gustantes favum. Inde transitus fuit anime sine
macula Tathei beatissimi confessoris, cujus hodiernam festi-
vitatem celebramus afFectibus eximiis. Quis non celebret
affectuose hujus diei celebritatem? Quis non honoret, et
non collaudet honoris et sanctitatis dignitatem ? Pater
2G4 VITA SANCTI TATHEI.
erat enim totius Guentonie, patrem vocabant et adhuc vo-
cant indigene. Nullus erat ausus aliquem de suis led ere,
si lesisset judicaretur quasi reus ex crimine. Defensor
erat silvestris patrie, refugium ejusdem sine violatione ; pa-
tienter sustinebat omnia illata; nunquam irascens sobria
mens ut columba; quicquid dabatur illi, largiter dabat et
exigentibus nulla negabat. Non fuit largior in occidentali
plaga, hospites recipiens, et reddens hospitia; esurientes,
strictos inedia, et sitientes propositi arida, hos satiabat ex
habundatia. Nudorum laterum expellens frigus, carcere
punitis detulit solatia; egenis et viduis dabat subsidia,
eterna querens non transitoria. Sanctus Tatheus vixit ce-
licola virgo sequens Dominum in celesti gloria. Post
exitum, sepultus est in pavimento ecclesie, et sui septem
discipul consocii, adheserunt magistri sepulture; quern
Deus elegit, et direxerit in eterne glorie patria.
VI.
Irjum ij Saint.
* y i
A GYMMERWYD ALLAN 0 HEN YSGRIF A YSGRIFENWYD YN Y
DRYDEDD CANRIF AR DDEC.2
1. ;?p|rtDt, mab Sant, mab Keredic, mab Kuneda Wledic,
^ Non verch Gynyr o Caergauch ym Myny w, y vam.
2. Docvael, mab Ithel, vab Keredic, mab Kuneda Wledie.
3. Tyssul, mab Corun, mab Keredic, mab Kuneda Wledie.
4. Carannauc, m. Corun, m. Keredic, m. Kuneda Wledie.
5. Pedyr, m. Corun, m. Keredic, m. Kuneda.
6. Teilyau, m. Enoc, m. Hedun dun, m. Keredic, m. Kun
eda Wledie.
7. Gwynlleu, m. Kyngar, m. Garthauc, m. Keredic, m.
Kuneda Wledie.
8. Avanbuellt, m. Kedic, m. Keredic, m. Kuneda Wledie.
9. Kyngar, m. Garthauc, m. Keredic, m. Kuneda Wledie.
10 Kyndeyrn, m. Kyngar, m. Garthauc, m. Keredic, m.
Kuneda Wledie.
11. Kynvelyn, m. Bleiddut, m. Meiryaun, m. Tybiaun, m.
Kuneda Wledie.
12. Edyrn, m. Beli, m. Rhun, m. Maelgun, m. Kadwallaun
Haw hir, m. Einyaun Yrth, m. Kuneda Wledie.
1 Allan o ysgrifau llarl, yn y Llyfrfa Brycleinaidd, 4181.
2 Yr oedd yr Ysgrif hon yn meddiant Mr" Edward Llwyd, awdwr dysgcdig yr ARCHAE-
LOGIA BRITANNICA, o ddcutu y fiwyddyn 1707.
266 ACHAU Y* SAINT.
13. Einyaun, vrenhin yn Llyn, a Seiryoel ym penn Mon, a
Meiryaun ym Merther Meiryaun, ynghantref, meibion
Owen danwyn, m. Einyaun Yrth, m. Kuneda Wlcclic.
14. Kadwalaudyr vendigeit, mab Katwallaun, mab Katvan,
m. lago, m. Beli, m. Run, m. Maelgun, mab Catwall-
awn Llawhir, m. Einyaun Yrth, m. Kuneda Wledic.
1 5. Deinyoel, m. Dynawd uor, m. Pabo post Pryden, a De-
uer verch Leinnawc y vam.
16. Eurgen, merch Vaelgwn Owned, m. Katwallawn Llaw
hir, m. Einyaun Yrth, m. Kuneda Wledic.
17. Assa, in. Sawyl benuchel, m. Pabo post Pryden, a Guen-
assed verch Run hael o Reinuc y vam.
18. Kyndeyrn, m. Garthwys, m. Owen, m. Urgen, a Deny
verch Leudun Luydauc o Dinas Eidyn1 yn y gogled y
vam.
19. Gorwst, mab Gueithhengar, m. Elphin, m. Urgen a
Eirgorby merch Glydno o Eidyn y vain.
20. Kadell, m. Urgen, m. Run.
21. Buan, m. Usgun, m. Llywarch hen.
22. Lleudat yn Henlli, a Baglan yng Koel ac Eleri ym
penn nant Guytherin yn Rywynnauc, a Therydauc Is-
coet, meibyon Dingat mab Nud hael, m. Senilli, mab
Kedic, m. Dyfynwal, m. Edynnyvet, mab Maxen
Wledic, a Thenoi verch Leudun Luydauc, o dinas Ei-
din yn y gogledd y vam.
23. Katvan sant yn Henlli, m. Eneas Ledewic o Lydaw, a
Guenteir bronn, merch Emyr Llydaw y mam.
24. Hennwyen, mab Gwyndaf hen, o Lydaw, periglawr o
Gawan, ag yr saint a vuant ynghyt oes ac ef yn Hen
lli Kynan, a Dochwy, a Mael, a Sirlyen, a Thanuc, ac
Eithras, a Llewen, a Llenab, a Thegwyn, a doethant
gyt a Chatvan y'r ynys hon.
2.5. Padarn, m. Petrun, m. Emyr Llydau, keveynderu y
Gatvan.
26. Tedetho, mab Amiun du, m. Emyr Llydau, kevynderu
y Gatvan.
1 Edinburgh, yn ysgrif Robert Vaughan o'r Hengwrt.
ACHAU Y SAINT. 267
27. Trynyav, m. Dinuc, m. Emyr Llydau, Kevynderu y
Gat van.
28. Maelrys, m. Guydno, m. Emyr Llydau, Kevynderu y
Gatvan.
29. Tegei ym maes Llanglassauc yn ar Llechved, a Therillo
yn Dineirth yn Ros, meibion Ithael hael o Lydau, a
Llechit yn Ar Llechwed chwaer udunt uynteu.
30. Kybi, mab Selyf, m. Gereint, m. Erbyn, m. Custennin
gorneu.
3 1 . Patric, m. Alvryt, m. Goronwy o Waredauag yn Arvon.
32. Katvartli sant yn Aberych yn Llyn, a Thangim ym
Mon, a Maetblu yn y Karvedaur ym Mon, mebyon
Caradauc vreichvras, mab Llyr Marini.
33. Beuno, m. Bugi, mab Guynlliu, m. Gliwis, m. Tegid, m.
Kadell, a Pheren verch Laidun Luydauc, o dinas Ei-
dun yn y gogled y vain.
34. Cannen sant, m. Guynlleu, m. Gliwis, m. Tegit, in.
Kadell o Llangaduc yng Guent.
35. Tussiliau m. Brochmael ysgithrauc, m. Kyngen, m.
Kadell Deyrnlluc, ac Ardun verch Pabo post Pry den
o'r gogledd y vain.
36. Lywelyn o'r Trallyng, m. Tegonwy, m. Teon, m. Gwineu
deu Vreudyac, a Gurnerth sant, m. yr Llywelyn oed
mam hwnnw.
37. Elhaern ym Maes Kegitva ym Powys, a Llucbhaearn
yngetewein, a Chynhaern o ynys Gynhayrn yn Eidion-
ydd, meibyon Hyrgarvael, m. Kyndruyn o les Tinwynon
yng Kaer Einyaun ym Powys, Eineon in Yirgrpriws,
W. T. O Lys Tinewyn o chref Leysfyw wynwyn
ynghaer Einon, in alio M S. penes eundem.
38. Guydvarch, m. Amalarus, tywyssauc y Puyl.
39. Ystyphan, m. Mauan, m. Kyngen, m. Kadell Dyrnllug.
40. Pedrauc, m. Clemens Tywyssauc o Gernyu. Tutclud
agvennoedyt Lly in Arvon, a Merin, a Thueno yng
Hyngredur, a Seuenyr, meibyon y Seithenun, vrenhin
o vaes Guydno (Nived in Garnarvon) a oresgunnaucl
ymor ydir.
268 ACHAU Y SAINT.
41. Tutclud a Gwennoeclyl (they in Arvon) a Merin, a
Thueno yn y hyngredur, a Sevenyr, meibion y Seithen-
un, vrenliin o Vaes Gwydno, (Nived in Gaernarvon) a
oresgynnaud ymor ydir.
42. Peris sant, Kardinal o Revein.
43 Bodo, a Guynnin, a Brothen sant, meibyon Glanauc, m.
Helyc voel, o Tyn o helyc.
44. Tyvredauc ym Mon, a Dilienyr ym Ottyfarru yn Te-
geingyl, a Theyrnauc yn Dyffryn Cluyt, a Thudyr yn
Darywen yng Kyveilyauc, brodorion, meibyon Haustyl
GlofF, a Dianned merch Amlaud Wledic eu mam.
45. Keiday, m. Ynyr Gwent.
46. Madrun, verch Wertheuyr brenin yr ynys hon, ac An-
mm Llauvoruyn idi.
47. Tecvan sant ym Mon, m. Caerclydwys, m. Kyngu, m.
Yspuys, m. Kadraut Calchuynyd, a Chenaf verch Tew-
dwr Maur y vam.
48. Elaeth vrenhin, mab Meuric, m. Idno, ac Onnengrec
verch Wallauc, vab Lleenauc, y vam.
4£> Merchyll, m. Echwys, m. Gwyn gohoen.
50. Kowy, m. Ynyr mem hen, a Chamell, gureic Ovot
Angharat yngholimavn y vam.
51. Deunauc sant, m. Kaurdaf, mab Kradauc Vreich vras.
52. Collen, mab Petron, m. Coledauc, m. Gwynn, a Melangell
merch Kynelch, m. Tutdawal Tutclut, o Ethin, Wyd-
eles y vam.
53. Nidam yn Mon, m. Gornvym, m. Pasgen, m. Uryen.
Dwynoel W. T. o Deifr a Bryneich.
54. Idloes, m. Guydvali, m. Llawrodet varuauc o Nidam ym
Mon, m. Goronwy, m. Pasgen, m. Uryen.
55. Ovy hael, m. Pryder, m. Dolor dufyr o'r Erfis, a Bryn
eich yn y gogled
56. Eingen merch Vaelgim Guyned, mab Katwallaun
Llawhir, mab Einyaun Yrth, m. Kyneda Wledic.
57. Llenyan Llavyur, m. Alan Hergan, m. Emyr Llydau.
58. Guenan a Noethan, meibion Gildas, mab Kadu.
59. Gurhel, m. Kadu, o Penystryveit.
VII.
nt Cpreig,1
A GYMERWYD ALLAN O HEN YSGRIF.2
a Dochwyn, a Mael, a Sullen, a Thanauc,
Kyndochwyn, Ma lassulien,3 a Thanawg, meibion
Kynwyd Kynwydion, mab Kynvelyn ap Arthrwys
vab Kenav, vab Koel.
4. Lheydhad ag Eithras, a Thegwyn a dhaethant gyda
Chad van i'r ynys hon.
7. Krisdoffis a Rysdryd, a Derfel gadarn, meibion Howel
Vychan, ap Hoel, ap Ynyr Lhydaw.
10. Kwywen, vab Kaffi o Llyri.
11. Katuc a Genau, meibion Kynllo vab Glivvs.
13. Esdyn a Kyngiar, meibion y Geraint, vab Erbyn.
15. Gildas, vab Kaw, o Brydein.
16. Peblig, yn Garnarvon, Mab Maxen Wledig ymherod
Rufain, o Elen verch Euda.
17. Gwrie o Benstrued a Gallgo, a Kynnais, a Ysdig, a
Kyveiliog, plant Kaw, o Brydain.
22. Silwen, verch Geraint, vab Erbyn.
23. Sliav, o'r Eliaw Keimad vab Alhwn dhu, vab Kynyu,
vab Esbrwys, vab Kadrod Kalch vynydh, o Wen verch
Dewdwr Mawr.
24. Rydegawg ap Karchclydais, ap Ysbuys, ap Kadrod
Kalch Vynydd.
1 Allan o ysgrifau Harl. yny llyfrgell Brydeinaidd, 4181.
2 Yr ysgrif hon oedd ym meddiant John Lewis, Ysw. o Llynweny, yn sir Faesyfed,
o ddeutu amser y Frenhines Elsbeth. 3 Felly yn yr ysgrif.
2 M
270 ACHAU Y SAINT.
25. Garmon ap Rydigus yn oes Gurtheyrn Gwrthenau, y
doeth i'r ynys hon, ag o Fraink i'r hanodh e.
26. Melyd, esgob Llyndain, gwr o wlad Rufain.
27. Eilunwy a Dyrdaw, saint Brydain, plant Helig, vab
Glanawg.
29. Idaw vab Gwrgu.
30. Sant Fred verch Duthach Wyddel.
31. Pawl vab Pawlpolins.
32. Pedwg, vab Klenais, yarll Kerniw.
33. Jestin ap Geraint, ap Erbyn, ap Kestenin.
34. Gurnerth sant, ap Lliyuelin, ap Trallwng.
35. Dyfnawg sant, ap Medrawd, ap Kawrdaf, ap Kradoc
Vraichvras, ap Llyr Merini.
36. Kollen ap Gwynawg, ap Koledawg, ap Kawrdaf, ap
Kradoc Vraichvras, o Erthin Wyddeles y vam.
37. Dona yn graff y hoed ym Mon, ap Selyf, ap Kynin gur-
wyn, ap Brochwel Yskithrog.
38. Elriog sant, ap Tydklyd, o Gaer Gybi.
39. Saeran yn Lhanynys yn Yffryn Klwyd.
40. Kynhafall sant yn Yffryn Klwyd.
41. Oswalt, ap Oswe Adlwyn, ap Edelradd Vrenin.
42. Eda elyn vawr, ap Gwynber dorchawg, ap Mag, ap
Mawr drefydh, ap Alia, ap Gyllell vawr, a gwr ym-
laddodh ag Arthur yngwaith Modred.
43. Brychan, ap Korinawg, vrenin Iwerdhon, a Marchell
verch Dewdrig ap Dydhfflech, ap Deithin, ap Tythall,
ap Anen dhu, oren groeg i vam.
44. Gwaurdhydh, verch Vrychan, yn Towyn.
45. Tydew, verch Vrychan y manaw.
46. Elyned, verch Vrychan yng rug Gorawal.
47. Kederig, verch Vrychan.
48. Gwen, verch Vrychan yn Talgarth.
49. Kenedlon, verch Vrychan ym mynydh Kymorth.
50. Glydav, verch Vrynach yn Emlyn.
51. Keinwen, verch Vrynach, a 52 Dwynwen y Mon.
53. Tadwystl, verch Vrynach.
54. Gwladys, verch Vrynach, mam Gatwg sant, ap Gwyn-
lliw, ap Glwys.
ACHAU Y SAINT. 271
55. Arianwen, verch Vrychan, gwraig lorwerth Mr
Flaidh, neu hir Flawdh.
56. Tydwall, verch Vrychan, gwraig Kyngen ap Kadell
Deyrnllyg, mam Brochwel Ysgithrog.
57. Gawr, verch Vrychan, gwraig Elidr lydanwyn.
58. Gwenvrewi, gwraig Kadrod Kalchvynydh.
59. Elerw, verch Vrychan gwraig Keredig, ap Kynedda
Wledig, mam Sant tad Dewi.
60. Kededr sant, sant Golny verch Vrychan, yn Lhan
lestyn y vam.
62. Kynvran, Kynbryd, a Dwynwen, plant Brychan Bry-
cheiniog.
65. Tydwen, Edwen, Gwenruw, merched Brychan Bry-
cheiniog,
Tair gwragedh y f u y Vrychan, Eurbrawst, a Ryb-
rawst, a Faestre.
Tair gwelygorth Sant ynys Brydain, plant Brychan,
plant Kunedda Wledig, a plant Kaw o Brydain.
69. Ascun Buelld ap Kedig, ap Karedig, ap Kynedda
Wledig, a Degoedd verch Degid voel, o Benlhyn y
vam.
70. Edyrn ap Nudh, ap Beli, ap Ryn, ap Maelgwyn Gwy-
nedh, ap Kadwallon Law hir, ap Einion Yrth, ap
Kunedda Wledig.
71. Lhydhelyn o'r Trallwng, ap Blendhyd, ap Tegonwy, ap
Teon, ap Gwineu dau vreudhwyd.
72. Tyfrydawg, a Drer, a Thyrnawg, a Thydyr, meibion
Arustl gloff, a Marchell y chwaer hwy oedh o Dhi-
wanedh, verch Amlad Wledig y vam.
76. Keidaw ap Ynyr Went, a Madryn verch Ynyr brenin
ynys Brydein y vam.
77. Noydaw a Predyr gwynog, meibion Gildas ap Kaw
o Brydain.
79. Henwau y saith gefnder gwynvydedig Weithian. —
Beuno vab Insi — Kawrda, vab Kriadog, Deiniol vab
Dynawd uawr, Seiriol, vab Owen Damwyn, Dewi vab
Sant, Kvbi vab Seliff.
VIII.
DE BRACHAN BRECHEINIAUC, ET COGNATIONS EJUS; EXCERPTUM EX
ANTIQUO CHYROGRAPHO CIRCITER ANNUM 900.
£jft r?rt)£maur primum a Brachano nomen accepit. In ini-
*™ tio temporum erat Theuderic regionis ; qui quondam
yenit in Garthmatrun ; indeque perrexit cum ducibus et
senioribus, nee non et omni familia sua abiit ad Brancoyn
juxta Lannmaies. Teuderic vero dixit ad Marchel, filiam
suam, " Algoris vis apprime vos affligit ; quamobrem ope-
re precium est, quatinus pelliceam vestem, nate mea, con-
quiramus, ne ipsa frigoris asperitate gravetur ; transmittam
enim earn in Hiberriiam cum trecentis hominibus, ad Aulac
filium Coronac, regem illius patrie, que sibi maritetur."
Profecta est igitur Marchel cum trecentis hominibus in
Lansevinin, ibidemque prima nocte per frigoris gravedinem,
centum homines mortui sunt. Secunda vero nocte venit in
Metbrun ; illoque totidem quo superius expiraverunt. Ter-
cia quidem nocte descendit in Portmaur, in loco scilicet
apriciori. Deinceps autem cum centum viris sibi relictis
ad Hiberniam transfretavit, et ad Aulac regem ejusdem pa-
trie cum suis incolumis pervenit. Qui cum magno tripu-
dio, et letitia illam suscipiens in legitimam conjugem ean-
1 Ex Cott. Lib. Mus. Vesp. A. XIV. Titulus in MS. DE SITU BRECHENIAUC.
DE BRACHAN BRECHEINIAUC. 273
dem sibi desponsavit; illi jurandum prebens si eidem filium
peperisset ; cum eadem Britanniam remearet, ne videlicet
puer patrio regno Britannie privaretur. Idem vero Aulach
dedit duodecim cubiculariis suis, sive pedissequiis, juxta
dignitatem natalium suorum.
Postea vero Marchel peperit filium, vocavitque eum
Brachan. Regressus est ergo Aulach cum Marchel regina,
et Brachan puero, et ducibus subscriptis, Kerniol, et alio
Fernach inde dicit Emfernach, Tercio, Lathmilich, inde di-
citur Mainaur oper Birnich. Quarto, Lounoie. Natus est
Brachan in Benni ; directusque est ad Drichan, inde dici-
tur Din Drichan. Ipse autem Drichan educavit Brachan;
inde dicitur Brachan Brecheiniauc cum quatuor annos eta-
tis haberet. In septimo vero anno dixit Drichan ad Bra
chan, " Affer mihi lanceam meam ad me." Drichan autem
in fine etatis sue, cecus factus est. Et dum idem vigilans
jacuisset, quidam aper venit de silva, stetitque juxta ripam
fluminis Ischir; cervusque retrorsum erat in flumine, nee
non subvenire cervi piscis erat, que turn portendebant Bra
chan opulentie copia felicem futurum. Adhuc etiam fagus
secus fluminis prsedicti litus stabat, in quo mellificabant apes.
Dixitque Drichan alumpno suo Brachan, " Ecce hanc arbo-
rem de apibus et melle, auro quoque et argento plenam, do
tibi, et gratia Dei ejusque dilectio tecum maneat semper
hie, et in futuro.
Postea vero Aulach dedit filium suum Brachan regi
Powis obsidem. Deinceps vero successu temporis, Brachan
oppressit filiam Benadel. Ilia autem pregnans genuit filium
nomine Kynauc, qui devectus ad castra, baptizatus est. Quo
facto, Brachan accepta armilla a brachio suo dedit illam
Kynauc filio suo. Iste sanctus Kynauc Celebris est valde
in propria sua Brecheniauc. Ipsaque armilla usque in pre-
sens perpreciosis reliquiis in predicta provincia servatur.
Hec est genealogia sancti Kynauc filii Brachan, Bra
chan filius Marchel, Marchel filia Tewderic, Teuderic filius
Teudfall, Teudfall filius Tender, Tender filius Teudfal, Teud-
fal filius Annhun rex Grecorum.
274 DE BRACHAN BRECHEINIAUC.
Hec sunt nomina filiorum Braclian de Brecheniauc.
1. Rein films Braclian. 2. Clytuin films Brachan, qui invasit
totam terram Sudgwalliae ; Clydouc sanctus et Dedyu
sanctus filii illius Clytguin. 3. Arthen films Braclian. 4.
Papay, films Brachan. 5. Kynon, films Brachan, qui sanc
tus erat in occidental! parte predicte manie. 6. Dingat fi-
lius Brachan. 7. Paschen filius Brachan. 8. Chybliuer
filius Brachan, inde dicitur Merthyr Chebliuer. 9. Berwin
filius Brachan, in Cornwallia. 10. Rydoc vel Judoc filius
Brachan in Francia, inde dicitur Ton Ridoch de vent
Windourth.
De filiabus Brachan. 1. Gladus filia Brachan, mater
sancti Cadoci. 2. Tudeuel filia Brachan mater Merthir
EniveL 3. Goleu filia Brachan, in Lan eschin. 4. Hynyd
filia Brachan, que jacet sub petra Melthreu, que fuit uxor
Tudual flavi mater Cuin cof. 5. Tudhistil filia Brachan,
inde dicitur Merthir Tudhistil. 6. Tibyei filia Brachan, in
Cantre bychan. 7. Kebinagyr filia Brachan, mater sancti
Kenider de Glesbyri. 8. Meleri filia Brachan, uxor Kare-
dic, et mater Sant ; Sant autem pater fuit David. 9. Tut-
glid filia Brachan uxor Kenken filii Kenwaur. 10. Cadea-
thuc, mater Cadel, et Brochuael Schitravc et mater Jeuab,
et mater Mugh, et mater Sanans ; que Sanans fuit uxor
Mahelgun, regis Nordwalie. 11. Aranwen filia Brachan in
Powys, uxor Gerenerth regis de Powys, inde dicitur Joru-
erdiaun. 12. Beithan filia Brachan in Mannia. 13. Luan
filia Brachan, mater Aithen Bradoc. 14. Kerdych filia
Brachan, a gorwed yn Nhywyn ym Meirion. 15. Nyneir
filia Brachan uxor Konvar cul filii Meirchiawn, mater
Urien, mater Cuerdelid, mater Estedich uxor Elidur Gos-
cordd vawr, et mater Gurgi et Peredur, mater Elidir cos-
coruaur. 16. Guaur filia Brachan, uxor Ledanwen, et
mater Loarch hen. 17. Gurycon Godheu, filia Brachan,
uxor Cathraut calchuynid. 18. Marchel filia Brachan,
uxor Gurind barmberuch de Merionyth. 19. Guen filia
Brachan, in Talgarth. 20. Belyau filia Brachan. 21. Cili-
veth filia Brachan ygryge gors aiiail. 22. Rein filia Bra-
DE BRACHAN BRECHEINIAUC. 275
chan ythrauit ogmor kedeython, — 23. Filia Braehan in y
minid cheunot in Kedweli. 24. Clydei filia Braehan est
in Emelin. 25. Dewyn filia Braehan est in Monia Anglis.
26. Ilud filia Braehan.
Sepulchrum Braehan est in insula que vocata Enysbra-
chan, que est juxta Manniam. Sepulchrum Rein, filii Bro-
chan, in Landevailac. Sepulchrum Kinauc merthir in Bre-
cheniauc. Sepulchrum Aulach, ante hostium ecclesie de
Lanespetit. Tres uxores habuit Braehan, Praust, scilicet,
et Ribrawst, et Roistri.
Hec est progenies Keredic regis de Keredigaun, — 1.
Dewi films Sant, Sant filii Keredic filii Cuneda. 2. Auan
buelh filius Kedic filii ejusdem Keredic. 3. Pedyr Lan-
waur filius Corin, filii Keredic. 4, Kenider Gell filius Ky-
non, filii Keredic. 5. Gunlyu filius Guaur, filii Keredic.
6. Gwyncledyburdh fil Lauch, fil Lucho fil Kedich, filii
Keredic. 7. Ina filia Keredic- 8. Karanone fil Keredic.
9. Dyuennen fil Anhun filii Ker. 10. Keneu sanctus, filius
Corun, fil Keredic. 11. Gugan filius Samson filii Keredic.
12. Dogmael sanctus filius Ithaeil filii Keredic. 13. Tydiuc
sanctus, filius Corun, filii Keredic.
IX.
Cmpett Ctrng
YR EMYN CYNTAF.
n enw, ac yn anrhydedd ein Arglwydd lesu Crist, a'r
£ Ian Wyryf, a'r glan Curig ferthyr, a Ddwlitta ei fam
ef, a holl saint nef, a'r santessau, a'n rhyddhao ni Arglwydd
lesu Grist heddyw, a heno, a phob amser a'n noddo, ac a
hamddiffyno ni rhag holl brofedigaethau cythreuliaid, a
phob rhyw drwg, a pherigl, a cholled enaid a chorff, ac a
gad wo yn dda rhag traws, a lladrad, ac afles, ac echrys dy-
syfid, nid amgen, yn tan a dwr, ac ymladd, a'n diwallo
ninnau oil o'n cyfreidiau enaid a chorff. AMEN.
YR AIL EMYN.
Crist yn Arglwydd a deyrnassa; Crist a orfydd, Crist
drwy haeddedigaethau y glan Curig ferthyr a Ddwlitta ei
fam ef, a holl Saint nef, a'u Santessau a'n rhyddao ni, a'n
cadwo rhag pob rhyw drwg enaid a chorff. AMEN.
Y TRYDYDD EMYN.
Y glan Curig ferthyr eglurddoeth, fu ef o'i febyd ; yr hwn
oedd ferthyr, a chall digreulon, a dysgwr nefolion bethau,
ac a wyrthwynebodd i orchymyn creulon brenhin Alexander,
1 Allan o Ysgrifau y Parch. Howel W. Lloyd.
EMYNAU CURIG FERTHYR. 277
ac a fwriocld oddiwrth arglwyddiawl fuchedd, o bur galon a
doethter y gwr perffaith. Ni fynnodd orweigion bethau y
byd hwn, namyn bod iddo ef llawenedigaethau Paradwys,
ac ef a ddioddefawdd i'r,triawl Dduw, ac un Arglwydd caled
erlyniaeth gospau dynion, ac o'r cariad ar Grist frenin, ef a
gymerth tanol boen ar ei gorph, a'i freichiau, a than gredi
i'r Drindod ef a dylyai gredu a gweddio Dduw, fegys y
gallai ffyddlonion Duw ochel yr uffernolion boenau, a chael
lawenycld teyrnas nef i'w heneidiau o eiriau, a ffydd Gatho-
lic, ni'ch gwplach no Christ y merthyr hwnw, wrth hynny
y galwn ninnau yn sanctaidd ar y wyry Gurig y'n gyn-
horthwy yn y nef, megis o'i adolwg ef y caffom, ac yr
haeddom yr egluraf obrwy, yr hwn a ddywedir idd ei gaffael
gyda bydinoedd o engylion yn oes oesoedd. AMEN.
Y PEDWERYDD EMYN.
Arglwydd lesu Grist, dalla ein Gwrthwynebwyr ni, a'n
cyhuddwyr, a'n drwgweithredwyr, nid amgen, y bleidiau,
a'r llewod, a'r cythreuliaid, a'r lladron, yn y modd y dellaist
drwgweithredwyr dy weision di, Abraham, ac Isaac, ac
lacob, yn enw y sanctaidd Curig ferthyr a Ddwlitta ei fam
ef, a holl Saint nef, a'i Santessau. AMEN.
Y PUMMED EMYN.
Arglwydd lesu Grist, amlha ein da, a chadw ni rhag pob
drwg, fal yr amlheiaist i'th weision Abraham, ac Isaac, ac
lacob, yn enw y sanctaidd Curig ferthyr a Ddwlitta ei fam
ef, a holl Saint nef, a'r Santessau. AMEN.
Y CHWECHFED EMYN.
Arglwydd lesu Grist, dilea ein holl drygioni a'n holl
pechoclau marwol, y rhain y buom ynddynt o'r blaen, a'r
rhain yr ydym ynddynt yr awr lion; dilea annog y cythraul
oddiwrthym, ac oddiwrth ein dynion a'n da, yn enw y
sanctaidd Curig ferthyr, a Ddwlitta, ei fam ef, a holl Saint
nef, a'i Santessau. AMEN.
2 N
Cp itene !i0te Iritanm'
HltO, MO.CC.XXX. ante nativitatem Christ! venit BRU-
TUS prime cum progenie sua de reliquis Trojan -
orum, ad istam insulam, tune temporis Albion yocatum;
infra quam gigantes habit abant, et postea dicti gigan-
tibus per eum debellatis interfectis et abjectis, obtinuit
totam insulam in pace, cum suis posteris, datum est ei
nomen a suo cognomine, BRITANNIA. Et in ea fecit edificare
magnam civitatem super flumen Tamesie, quam vocaverunt
Nova Troja, in recompensacione civitatis magne Troje,
quam patres eorum prius diris et duris affeccionibus perdi-
derant ; et postea vocata fuerat per multa tempora civitas
Trinouantum per corrupcionem, usque ad quendam regem
Britonum, vocatum Lud, filium Hely, qui renovavit muros
dicte civitatis, et venerabilibus turribus earn circumcinxit;
unde nominata fuit postmodum de cognomine suo Kair
Llud, deiride per corrupcionem nominis Kaerlundein; suc-
cedente quoque tempore per commutacionem linguarum
Londone.
Anno C.L.VI. post nativitatem Domini, Lucius rex
Britonum videns et audiens miracula que tirones Christi
per diversas naciones faciebant, epistolas suas Eleutherio
direxit, petens ut ab eo Christianitatem reciperet, cui bea-
tus pontifex, comperta illius devocione, duos religiosos
doctores Faganum et Diwanum misit, qui Christi incarna-
cionem predicaverunt, abluerunt eum sacro fonte, et ad Chris-
1 Ex Cott. Lib. Brit. Mus. TITAS D. XXII.
EPITOME HISTORIC BRITANNIA. 279
turn converterunt. Nee mora concurrentes undique naci-
ones Britonum exemplum regis insecuntur, eodemque
lavacro mundati sunt.
Anno incarnacionis Domini CCCC.XL.VI. regnavit heresis
Pelegiana, per quendam magnum clericum, nomine Pe-
lagium, inter Britones suscitata, qui quidem suis diversis
et falsis opinionibus totam gentem Britannicam a secta vere
fidei, quam prius acceperat ab Eleutherio, tempore Lucii,
filii Coel regis Britonum, fere subvertit, dicens inter cetera,
hominem posse benefacere sine Dei gracia, contra illud dic
tum dominicum, " Sine me nichil potestis facere."
DE PRIMA CONSTRUCCIONE ET EDIFICACIONE ECCLESIE
LANDAEVNSIS.
Anno incarnacionis Domini CCCC.XL.VIII, missi fuerant
duo venerandi viri, Germanus Altissiodorensis episcopus, et
Lupus Tricassive civitatis, a partibus Gallie in Britanniam,
ad dictam heresim extirpandam et confundendam, que dic-
torum virorum disputacionibus et predicacionibus omnino
deleta et destructa. Preceperunt assensu et consensu
Mouricii filii Teudrici tune regis Morgannuc, edificare et de
novo construere unam sedem metropolitanam, super situm
in honorem apostolorum Petri et Pauli.
Post completum opus, dictus rex earn diversis territoriis,
privilegiis, et redditibus honorifice dotavit, sicut in Graffo
Sancti Thelyai plenarie reperitur ; et in earn, dicti religiosi
viri Dubricium virum sanctum, et famosum doctorem, eciam
archeipiscopum et dextralis Britannie primatem consecrave-
runt.
Anno incarnacionis Domini CCCC.XL.VIII. tempore Forti-
gerni, tune regis Britannie, prophetavit Merlinus mul-
tas inauditas tribulaciones, et futuras desolaciones regibus
et regno Britannie; prophetavit enim dictum populum
Britannicum per externas degeneres naciones, a nobilitate
sua pro tempore fore depositurum, et iterum in fine tempo-
rum relevaturum.
Iste vates ex filia regis sanctimoniali de incubo spiritu
natus fuit, inter monachas in ecclesia sancti Petri in urbe
280 EPITOME HISTORIC BRITANNIA.
Kaermerdin, que asseruit se nunquam virum cognosse, sed
quidam in specie pulcherrima ipsam frequenter deosculans
et amplectens gravidam reliquit et evanuit.
Anno incarnacionis Domini CCC.XL.IX. venit Hengis-
tus dux Saxonum, una cum fratre suo Horsa, primo ad Bri-
tanniam, cum trecentis navibus armata manu repletis, tempo-
re Fortigerni, nephandi regis Britonum, qui sua prodicione fe
cit interficere Constantem regem suum, et diadema regni
capiti suo imponere. Dictus Fortigernus, tanta inquieta-
cione et timore Aurelii Ambrossii et fratris sui Uthur Pen-
dragon, qui Minorem Britanniam propter ipsum diffugerant,
associavit sibi Saxones, et filiam Hengisti ducit in uxorem,
et patri puelle provinciam Cancie declit. Quod cum Bri-
tones vidissent quod Hengistus invitabat paulatim naves,
et numerum suum cotidie augebat, timuerunt prodicionem
eorum, congressi sunt cum Saxonibus, et eos a finibus regni
sepius verterunt in fugam ; et quot vicibus expulsi fuerant
Saxones a Britannia, tot vicibus forciores quam prius reversi
sunt ad Britanniam. Et quod cum Hengistus tantam inquie-
tacionem senciebat, cogitavit quid contra id agendum esset.
Petebat ut rex et principes sui diem et locum nominassent,
quo pariter convenient, et ex voluntate sua disposuissent,
ut quos ex tanto numero in regno suo retinuissent, et quos
refutandos censerent in Germaniam sine delacione redire
permitterent. Talia ut Britonibus nunciata fuerant placu-
erunt eis vehementer, diem et locum juxta cenobium Am-
bri, id est Stonhenge ordinaverunt, ut ibidem predicta sta-
tuerentur. Iste Hengistus proditor pacem proferebat ore,
quam in pectore non habebat; quare fraude sua precepit
commilitonibus suis, quod singuli in die statute cul-
trum infra caligas suas haberent absconditum, et cum nobi-
liores Biitonum ad diem prefatum astarent congregati, et
eis immixti essent, dedit eis hoc signum quod cum vocife-
raret hunc sermonem, DRAW YOUR SEXIS, unusquisque cul-
trum suum traheret, et proximorem Britonem astantem in-
terficeret ; et sic ea, que per nephandum proditorem habu-
erunt ex precepto, per nepliandos sequaces miserabiliter
completa erant de facto. Nam illo die circiter quadringin-
EPITOME HISTORIC BRITANNIA. 281
tos octoginta inter barones et consules jugulaverunt; omnes
enim sine armis advenerant, nee aliud nisi de pace trac-
tanda estimabant.
Anno incarnacionis Domini D. et vi. Dubricius archie-
piscopus Landavensis, coronavit Arthurum regem famo-
sissimum in civitate Circestrie, anno etatis sue xvo. Et
postquam fama largitatis ac probitatis illius per extremes
mundi cardines divulgata esset, ac sibi diversas naciones
diris preliis et fatigacionibus subjugasset, Archiepiscopos
episcopos reges principes et duces sibi subditos, ad Urbem
Legionum unanimiter fecit convocare, et ibidem magnam
festivitatem Pentecostes venerabiliter celebrare, quibus ac-
cersitis et completis, vocantur cuncti, qui ei propter hono-
res obsequium prestabant, singulos singulis possessionibus
honorifice dotavit, et sic licencia petita et obtenta omnes et
singuli ad propria cum gaudio remearunt.
Dubricius vero senciens se senio gravatum, salutatis fratri-
bus sese ab archiepiscopali sede deposuit, quandam insulam
infra mare Hibernicum sitam, que distat a terra per quinque
miliaria, Cambrice vocata Enys Enlli. Anglicevero Bardesei,
infra quam viginti millia corpora sanctorum sunt humata,
ibique in vigiliis, jejuniis, et oracionibus, usque ad extremum
diem vite sue, heremiticam vitam duxit, et post vite hujus
cursum, ibidem honorifice sepultus et inter sanctos primo
connumeratus.
B.C. xn. anno incarnacionis Domini migravit ad Domi-
num; et MO.C.XXO. anno translatus est ab insula Enlli
per Urbanum Landavensem episcopum, ad ecclesiam suam
Landavensem x. kalendorum mensis Junii.
Post vero dictum Dubricium, illustris sacerdos Thelyaus
in pastorem et episcopum ecclesie Landavensis est sublima-
tus, cujus mores et actus laudabiles reddunt historic.
Postquam vero inclitus Arthurus regnavit xxvi annis,
et diversas partes nacionum sibi subjugasset, senciens se in
quodam congressu inter ipsum et Modredum nepotem
suum nephandum proditorem, letaliter vulneratum, deposuit
se a regimine, et Constantino cognato suo filio Kadoris,
clucis Cornubie, diadema regni concessit, et in insulam Aval-
282 EPITOME HISTORIC BRITANNIA.
lonis, id est Glastynburi, ad sanandum vulnera est progresus;
de cujus obitu et sepultura certum non referunt hystorie.
Post dictum Constantinum, regnavit Aurelius Conanus.
Post Aurelium, Vortiporius. Post Vortiporium, Mailgo.
Post Mailgo Kereticus. Iste Kareticus fuit civium bellorum
amator, Deo et Britonibus odibilis, cujus inconstancia com-
perientes Saxones, miserunt post Gormundum, filium regis
AiFricanorum, tune in Hiberniam exist entem, qui cum C.XL.
militibus ad Britanniam transfretavit, et regem Kareticum
divicit, et fugavit usque in civitatem Circestriam, et in earn
trusit et obsedit; et ibi per diuturna tempora civitatem de-
bellavit, sed nichil profuit, nam civitas erat fortissimis muris
circumcincta, et viris arte bellicosa edoctis munita, resiste-
bant eis, et semetipsos viriliter defendebant. Rex Gormun-
dus videns quod nichil ei proficiebat, ymaginavit unam subti-
litatem que hec erat. Passeres qui de nocte quiescebant in
domiciliis et tectis domorum civitatis, et de die volabant ex
tra civitatem ad sustentacionem perquirendam, jussitut cape-
rentur, et ei vivos presentare. Quod cum factum fuerat, fecit
ad caudam uniuscujusque illorum ignem ligare. et in crepus-
culo noctis eos dimisit liberos ad solita remeare, quod cum
intraverunt tecta et domicilia, ubi solebant quiescere, ante
mediam noctem igne quern secum asportaverunt totam
civitatem succenderunt. Capta tandem predicta civitate,
er succensa, Gormundus commisit prelium cum Karetico,
et fugavit eum ultra Sabrinam in Cambriam, deinde amiser-
unt Britones diadema regni et monarcbia multis temporibus.
Post Kareticum regnavit Cadvanus. Post Cadvanum,
Cadwalanus. Tempore vero Cadwalani fuerunt tanta karistia
tante pentilentie, tanta fames invalescebant, quod magnates
mutuo se amplexantes, submerserunt se in aquis. Cui dic
tum est in voce per angelum, quod films ejus expelleret
se ipsum de regno, et quod moriturus erat Rome, et quod
deberet numerari in cathalogo sanctorum. Qui quidem
rex quesivit causam tanti mali in regno suo ; cui respondens
angelus dicens, " Necligencia prelatorum, rapina potentium,
cubiditas judicum, detestanda luxuria, rabies perjuriorum,
inordinatus cultus vestimentorum."
EPITOME HISTORIC BRITANNIA. 283
Post eum regnavit Kadwaladrus films suus. Iste vero
Kadwaladrus, cognomine Benedictus, regnavit modico tern-
pore, qui tarn propter mortalitatem que populum suum fere
devastabat, quam propter diversas persecuciones, quas paci-
ebatur assidue per barbaricos Saxones, reliquit regnum suum
et Minorem Britanniam peciit. Ibique post intervallum tem-
poris, congregavit magnum excercitum ut rediret, et expel-
leret externas naciones a regno suo, cui nunciatum est per
angelum ut a proposito suo desisteret. Nolebat enim Deus
Bri tones in insula Britanie diucius regnare, antequam tern-
pus venisset quod Merlinus Arthuro prophetaverat. Pre-
cepit illi et ut Romam ad Sergium papam iret, ut ibi peracta
penitencia inter beatos annumeretur. Dicebat populum
etiam Britannicum per meritum fidei sue insulam in futuro
adepturum. Tune Kadwaladrus abjectis mundialibus prop
ter Deum, venit Romam, et ibi a Sergio confirmatus,
inopino et languore correptus est xxn die Kalendarum
Maie Anno Domini D.C.LXXXIX, a contagione carnis
solutus, celesti regni aulam ingressus est. Bardi enim
Kambrenses istam opinionem quam in libris suis autenticis
habent scripta, firmiter tenent quod cum ossa beati Kad-
waladri a terra suscitarentur, Britones pristine potestati,
quam habuerunt, per promissionem Angeli restaurarentur.
Post vero Kadwaladrum reliqui Britonum perdiderunt
nomen suum; jam non vocabantur Britones, sed Wallen-
ses ; tantam inquietacionem paciebantur per barbaricos Sax-
ones, quod non potuerunt eis resistere, et sic debilitati pe-
cierunt Kambriam, modo Walliam, et ibi per multa tempora
regnabant per principes generis sui. Regebant enim om-
nes per unum principem solum usque ad tempus Rodri
Vawr, id est Rodrici magni.
Iste Rodricus magnus regebat totam Walliam tempore
suo. Post cujus obitum tres filii sui, videlicet Merthwynus,
Anarawd, et Cadell, diviserunt inter se totam Walliam in
tres principatus, Merthwyno principatum Gwyneth, id est
North walliam, Anarawd principatum Powysie, Cadell princi
patum Delieubarth, id est Suth Wallia. Unusquisque is-
284 EPITOME HISTORIC BRITANNIA.
torum, cum posteris suis, regebat par tern suam ut princeps
per multos annos.
Et postquam plures anni essent devoluti iste due partes,
videlicet Powysia et Sothwallia perdiderunt nomen princi-
pis et principatus. Cadell vero regebat portionem suam
cum genere suo, usque ad tempus Rees vap Gruffuth, vap
Rees vap Teudwr; cujus generacio est hec. Rees vap
Gruffuth, vap Rees, vap Teudwr, vap Cadell, vap Eneas, vap
Owein, vap Howel dda, vap Cadell, vap Rodri Vawr, vap
Meruin brenin Manaw.
A Rodrico magno recitatur genealogia principum usque
Beatam Virginem, ut in libris autenticis Bardorum Kam-
brencium plenarie reperitur. Eta Beata Virgine usque ad
Eneas yscoythwyn, ab Eneas usque ad linealiter producant.
Postquam vero iste due partes, videlicet Powysia et
Suthwallia, ut dictum est supra, perdiderunt nomen princi-
pis sui et principatus, princeps Northwallie reassumpsit to-
tum integrum nomen totius Wallie, et principatus; quo
deinceps gaudebat, cum posteris suis usque ad Lewelinum
principem, vap Gruffuth, vap Llewelin, vap loruerth droyn-
don.
Tempore vero istius Lewelini, orta est magna cliscordia
inter ipsum et Edwardum, regem Anglie dictum Longe-
schankys, qui ei diu mortaliter invidebat, propter quod con-
gregavit exercitum et ingressus est Walliam cum multitu-
dine gravi gentem et patriam igne et gladio crudeliter de-
vastabat; — quod cum Wallenses tantam persecucionem
senciebant, sumptis viribus viriliter congressi sunt cum eis,
et ex eis tarn armatorum quam peditum per mortem exter-
minaverunt ; sed nichil eis in fine profuit. Nam de nocte
ymaginata fraude Lewelinus, princeps suus, captus fuit per
Rogerum de mortuomari affinem suum, et per eum inter-
fectus et decollatus. Post cujus mortem nullum hucusque
habuerunt principem de genere suo.
Anno Domini M.CC.LXXXII interfectus est dictus Le
welinus princeps Wallie; de cujus morte territi sunt
Wallenses ultra modum, et turbati reddiderunt regi Anglie
omnia castra Norwallie, una cum porciuncula crucis domi-
EPITOME HISTORIC BRITANNI/E. 285
nice Kambrice vero dicta Croes Neide, cum multis aliis
famosis reliquiis. Reddiderunt eciam coronam famocissimi
Arthuri quondam regis Brittanie, et sic gloria Wallie et
Wallensium, Regibus et magnatibus Anglie translata est.
In sequenti vero anno captus est David frater dicti Lewe-
lini, et apud Amoythic, id est Schorrysburi, tractus decola-
tus et trucidatus.
Anno Domini M.CC. nonagesimo vi fuit gwerra Morgani
vap Mereduth, Cambrice vero Revel Vorgan, in qua omnes
Wallenses 'uni versaliter surrexerunt, et fuit eis valde utilis.
Anno Domini M.CCC.XV. fuit gwerra Lewelini Bren
inter ipsum et Glamorganenses suscitata, que fuit particu-
laris, et non duravit nisi per ix Septimanas.
Anno domini M.CCC.XXI. fuit gwerra Baronum, Cam
brice vero dicta Ryvel y barwneid.
Anno Domini M.CCC.XX.VII. fuit gwerra regine, Cam
brice vero dicta Ryvel y vreniues, in qua captus fuit Ed-
wardus rex, cognomine Kairnarvon, cum Ilugone de spenser,
et aliis multis magnatibus apud Lantressen in Meiskyn,
qui ducti fuerant per diversas partes Anglie, et ibidem ex-
terminati.
Anno domini M.CCC.XL.VIII. magna pestilencia incepit
prime regnare inter Wallicos, per quam estimabant duas
partes hominum fore exterminatas.
Anno Domini M.CCC.LXI. fuit secunda pestilencia que
non fuit ita vindicabilis sicut et prima.
Eodem vero anno fuit ventus validus et inauditus, qui
flatu suo innumerabilia campanaria ecclesiarum, cruces petri-
nas, et alias in quadriviis et bivis serutatas, ad terram pro-
stravit, domos evertit, silvas et nemora a radice mirabiliter
evulsit; unde versus,
Centum ter erant mille
Sex decies unus et ille,
Luce tua, Maure,
Vehemens fuit impetus aure.
Anno Domini M.CCC.LXX. fuit tertia pestilencia.
Anno Domini M.CCC.LXXV. fuit quarta pestilencia.
2o
286 EPITOME HISTORIC BRITANNIA.
Ab origine mundi usque ad tempus diluvii, anni MM.
CC.XLII. computantur, in quo diluvio omnis creatura ho-
minum ultione divina submersa fuerat propter peccata, octo
personis tantum exceptis, Noe cum uxore sua, et tribus filiis
suis, videlicet, Sem, Cam, et laphet, cum uxoribus suis ;
ex quibus, ab hinc usque ad liunc diem, omnes creature
liomini progenite sunt, et progresse.
Post mortem vero Noe, tres dicti filii diviserunt inter se
universum orbem, videlicet, Sem Asiam, Cam Affricam,
Japliet Europam.
Infra primam partem, que dicitur Asia, continentur xv
provincie, videlicet India, Achaia, Parthia, Syria, Percia,
Media, Mesopotamia, Capadocia, Palestinus, Armenia, Ci-
licia, Caldea, Suria, Egyptus, Libia.
Infra^secundam partem,5 que dicitur' Affrica, sunt xn pro
vincie, videlicet^Lidias, Cirini, Pentapolis, Ethiopia, Tripoli-
tana, Biphannia, Getulia, Nataliria, Numedia, Samaria,
Sirtes majores et minores.
Infra terciam partem, que dicitur Europa, sunt xm pro
vincie, videlicet Roma, Calabria, Hyspania, Almannia,
Macedonia, Fracea, Pannonea, Colonia, Gallia, Aquitania,
Britannia major^iHybernia, Aquilonarii tinfra oceanum ; et
sic dilataverunt terminos suos in tres partes, quia tot^fra-
tres erant.
Item a diluvio usque ad nativitatem Christi sunt anni
MM.D.CCC.LVIII. a nativitate Christi usque ad annum, in quo
modo sumus, sunt M.CCCC.XXXIX. Ab origine mundi usque
ad istum annum, in quo nunc sumus, singulis annis compu-
tatis, sunt anni in toto Sexies milleni D.C.XXIX. Hector, Al
ex. Julius, Josue, David, Machabeus, Arthums, Karolus, et
precellens Godofridus; isti 'sunt|ter tres trine secte meliores.
Septem millenis trecentis et tribus annis, et decies deni
post partum Virginis alme, tune Antichristus regnabit de-
mone plenus.
Anno Domini MLXXXI. edificata fuit villa de Kerdyf sub
Willielmo, rege Anglie.
fegfojj €»lafa uttfr
I.
€jje » of It.
HERE BEGINS THE LIFE OF ST. BRYNACH, A CONFESSOR.
£ Lord chose to himself from the sons of Israel, a man
near his own heart, named Brynach,1 who was adorned
with elegant manners, and distinguished for remarkable
virtues ; for he made a vow to the God of Jacob, which he
observed inviolably to the last. Embracing the name of
his God from his mother's breasts, and not disregarding his
commands, he preferred a humble state of life in his own
house to enjoying a more distinguished one in the palaces
of princes. Deducing his origin from an illustrious stock of
progenitors, meritoriously obtaining no small share of repu
tation, being much enriched with wealth with which the
minds of wordly persons are accustomed to be allured, and
having hereditary landed property, and also the pleasing
society of parents, he would not be captivated either by
1 Brynach lived about the middle of the fifth century, and was the spiritual instructor
of Brychan Prince of Brecknock. He is called in the Welsh Triads, Brynach Wyddel,
or Brynach the Irishman, and is said to have married one of the daughters of Brychan,
named Corth, or Cymorth, who lived in Emlyn, a district partly in the county of Car
marthen, and partly in that of Pembroke, by whom he had one son Gerwyn, and three
daughters, Mwynwen, Gwennan, and Gwenlliw. He is considered to have Leen the
founder of the churches of Llanfrynach, Brecknockshire, Llanfrynach, alias Penlin, Gla
morganshire, and Llanfernach, Dinas, and Nevern in Pembrokeshire, as they are dedica
ted to him. It may also be inferred from the analogy of similar cases, that the churches
of Henry's Moat and Pontfaen, in the neighbourhood of the latter three, which Ecton
ascribes to St. Bernard, should be also ascribed to St. Brynach, whose parishes would
thus form a continuous endowment, which was afterwards disturbed. He was commemo
rated in the Church on the seventh of the Ides of April, being the day of his decease. —
Professor Ree^s Essay on the Welsh Saints, p. 150, 156.
290 LIFE OF SAINT BRYNACH.
the fame of reputation, or the delights of riches, or be in
cluded by the laws of patrimonial inheritance. What
then, not considering the country of his nativity to be his
own, he was desirous, by removing from it, to acquire one
for himself, by travelling to obtain another country. Ac
cording to the saying of Christ, and following his example,
he expected that by relinquishing all things, all things
would be given to him ; he departed, he proceeded travel
ling, and came to the sea, he went on board a ship, and
sailed in a prosperous course, God so disposing it, and hav
ing travelled through divers countries, sowing the seeds of
the words of Christ, went to Rome. There, with anxious
desire, he administered to some persons the doctrines of
God, as soon as he was able.
At that time, a pestilential beast raged in the country
about Rome, which either tore with its bloody jaws all
such persons as it saw, or inflicted death on them by its
poisonous breath. It likewise tore in pieces the bodies of a
great many brute animals to satisfy its fury ; and its inbred
rage could not by any means be appeased. It caused such
fear to the inhabitants, that he accounted himself very fortu
nate, who, by leaving his habitation, and the neighbourhood,
was able to escape from this dreadful evil. But the holy
man, being desirous to relieve the distress of the district,
which the multitude of the inhabitants were not able to
do, by the sole use of prayer, he prostrated to the earth,
and killed the deadly beast. For which, and also other
goodly acts, all persons admired the holy man, and continu
ally extolled him with magnificent praises. But the man
of God observing that he was become more publicly known
than had been usual ; and preferring to please God in se
cret, to whom the secrets of the heart are known, than to
obtain favour from the people, who are accustomed to es
teem only outward things, and seeing that so long as he
remained at Rome, he would become more publicly known,
he accordingly left it privately, as if he had prepared for
himself a place of residence.
LIFE OF SAINT BRYNACH. 291
Then performing a long journey, and wherever he came,
giving an example of goodness to be imitated by all, and
travelling towards the western parts of the world, he came
to Lesser Britain ; where he remained for many years, and
performed important beneficial acts, and great miracles.
Sick persons flocked to him for the recovery of the health
of their bodies; and those in health went to him that they
might receive salutary instructions of heavenly doctrine for
the cure of their souls. Britain was congratulated on ac
count of such a man, by whom health was gratuitously
given; the holy man who was able to perform such things by
the grace of God, for the poor, was congratulated ; but he
grieved, and was troubled because flying fame ceased not to
make him publicly known. Avoiding that alone as an im
placable monster, he privately and alone came to the sea ;
and not finding a ship, he aptly placed a piece of rock on
the face of the water, faithfully recollecting that he, who in
the desert produced water from a rock, was able to make
that rock swim upon the water. The holy man of God be
ing full of faith, committing himself altogether to God,
whose way is in the sea, and whose paths are in the deep
waters, went on the rock, because he was founded on a firm
rock, that is Christ. Because the most high God who
governs all things, holds the earth in the palm of his hand,
and weighs the mountains, hardened the sea by his power,
and having smoothed the surface of the ocean, carried his
saint the length of the British sea, and brought him to the
port of Milford, in the region of Demetia, on the banks of the
river Cleddyf.1
When he had remained there some time serving his God,
the ancient enemy of mankind, ahvays forming new contri
vances of mischief, and continually prepared to attack the
purity of chastity, vehemently incited the daughter of the
nobleman who gave the land to the holy man, to be in
1 Cleddau, the name of the Rivers which flow into the sea at Milford Haven, from
whence the town of Milford is called in Welsh, Aberdaugleddau, signifying the conflu
ence of two rivers of the name of Cleddau.
292 LIFE OF SAINT BRYNACH.
love with him. She therefore, as almost every woman who
is invincibly prepared by the devil, and has his ancient ar
mour, and is an ample vessel of malignity, and every crime,
endeavoured by every means to inthral the servant of God
with her snares of alluring pleasure ; and from the perfor
mance of better things, she endeavoured to allure him to
her luxurious habits, she mixed wolfsbane with lustful in
gredients formally prepared, she ceased not to get it for
him to drink ; but she prepared the mixture in vain ; the
holy servant of God did not thirst for such a cup ; but re
fused it, and as the apostle advised, he avoided the assaults
of fornication. For in this conflict, he better fights, who
gives way than he who resists; he conquers bravely who
bravely flees. The girl, however, setting aside feminine mo
desty, because she could not dispose the firm mind of the
holy man to sinful love, turned her love into hatred to
wards him, and was desirous to separate his holy body
from his soul. A woman indeed, in rejected love, contrives
every evil, and on him, whom a little before she had loved,
so far as the dividing of the soul from the body, now being
inflamed with hatred towards him, she endeavoured to in
flict every kind of death.
Because as Seneca, the eminent describer of morals,
saith, a woman either hates, or loves, there is no medium ;
she therefore sent some cruel fellows to pursue the holy man,
and fiercely ordered that if they could not bring him back liv
ing, they should not suffer him to depart alive. The wicked
men hasten, and proceed blindly to their wicked work;
they find him whom they pursued, and first of all allure him
with fair words to return ; but because he refused to come
back with them, one of them stabbed the innocent man, in
flicting a dreadful wound with a lance, and the others rushed
forward desirous to kill him, but by the direction of God,
some persons who were present assisted and hastened to
take the holy man from the hands of the villains. But he
who inflicted the wound, being struck by the vengence of
God, had his whole body attacked by winged insects;
LIFE OF SAINT BRYNACH. 293
afterwards he was a long time afflicted with illness, and
want, and at length finished his wretched life with a mise
rable death. The holy servant of God went to a fountain
which was near, and getting into the water, washed off
the blood ; whence unto this day, the fountain is called the
Red Fountain ; where also in honour of the holy man, the
merciful God bestows many benefits of health to the dis
eased, and without delay, through the mediation of the
Lord, they receive the healing of their wounds.
Saint Brynach proceeding further, came to a place by the
river Gueun,1 which now is called the Stone Bridge ; where
fixing his residence, he liberated the place from unclean
spirits, which they, wandering every night, and filling it with
dreadful outcries and horrid bowlings, had to that day ren
dered uninhabitable. But because Divine Providence had
designed that he should not inhabit that spot any long
er, he proceeded further, and came to a certain place on
the river Never,2 which is called the Grove of an Ancient
Church. And as that place appeared appropriate for men
who lived religiously, he and his associates girded them
selves, and taking hatchets, and other tools, for three whole
days cut down trees; and what they cut, and in part carried
off, they conveyed to the place where they wished the
buildings to be erected. Rising to their work on the
fourth day, and searching, they could not see any of those
things, which they had prepared the preceding three days ;
all of which seemed to have been absorbed by the earth,
nor could even any trace of them be found : to those who
were amazed on beholding this, St. Brynach said, " We
should not be astonished at the wonderful works of God,
although they appear marvellous, since he who performs
them is declared Almighty ; let us therefore humble our
selves under the powerful hand of God, let us fast, let us
1 Gwain, the name of the river at Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, from whence the Welsh
name of the town of Abergwain.
2 An abbreviation of Nan'JJyver ; Hyver being the name of the river that flows through
the valley of Nevern, Pembrokeshire, and gives its name to the parish.
2 P
294 LIFE OF SAINT BRYNACH.
watch, and pray that the explainer of all things should
shew us what these things forebode." Which was accord
ingly done.
Therefore on the next night, an angel of the Lord ap
peared to Brynach as he lay down in prayer, and said "This
spot is not to be the place for my habitation, but go on
the banks of the river, as far as the rivulet of the holy men,
which falls into the river, and proceed by that river and
hill until thou seest a white wild sow with young pigs, and
there fix for thyself a permanent station. The holy man
being cheered by the discourse of the angel, proceeded
therefore, and found the promised sow and young pigs in the
place, where in his name a church has been built, and is now
used, on the banks of the Caman, which was heretofore a
deep torrent, and was so called, not on account of its depth,
but from the concavity of the vallies. From thence he ren
dered devout thanks to God, because he had by his angel
deigned to shew him the place, where without change, he
wished that the service which was required, might be per
formed by him. A fire was lighted, and he and his compan
ions passed almost all the night without sleep in prayers.
There was at that time a certain lord of the district
named Clechre, a just man, and one that feared God, who gave
orders in those days; and was named the Old Man. This
man rising in a morning, and seeing the smoke from the fire,
which the man of God had lighted in the deep valley, rising,
spreading abroad, and covering the neighbouring parts of
the earth, and being excited by the Spirit of God, called
together the twenty sons which he had, and said unto them,
" My sons, ye have heard with your ears that the man is ar
rived, who we know has been for a long time promised to
us, the fame of whose goodness is spread abroad upon the
face of the earth, and is celebrated in the highest places ;
and as ye see his smoke spreading abroad, so will the power
of his preaching spread, and much wider; let us therefore
go, and fall down before his face, and become subject to
him, because we ought not by any means contradict or re-
LIFE OF SAINT BRYNACH. 295
sist the divine will." Going therefore unanimously, they
came to the man of God, and placing themselves at his
knees, prayed that he would have mercy upon them. Saint
Brynach, whose manner of speaking was pleasing, blessed
them, and with a modest voice enquired what they wanted.
The old man answered, and said, " Sir, I have been for a
long time master of this district, but because I know that
this place is designed for thee by the providence of God, I
submit to the will of God, I also submit to thee, but I
commend these my sons to thee, that under the protection
of thy paternity, they may adhere to our God." He received
them thankfully, and had them regularly instructed in liter
ature, and they were faithful companions in his labours.
And the old man taking leave, and saluting all, departed to
the country of Cornwall, where serving God, he gave up his
happy soul to the Lord.
And Saint Brynach being a faithful performer of divine
service, studied to cut off the superfluities of corporeal
affection, so much did he desire to live agreeably to the di
vine will; he wasted his body by continual fastings, he di
minished the insolence of the flesh by frequent watchings,
he restrained the luxury of clothing by cold treatment, dip
ping it daily in the coldest water ; what he could withdraw
from his mouth, from his hand, and from his whole body,
he converted to the use of the poor, and what he could ac
quire he received to relieve their poverty; he was always
engaged in prayers, except when he refreshed his body either
with food or sleep. Thus he led a life so pleasing to God,
that as he deserved, he enjoyed frequently the sight and dis
course of angels ; and the mountain on which they met, at
the foot of which a church was built, was called The Moun
tain of Angels.1
The Lord enabled him to act so miraculously in the sight
of the people that at his command, wild beasts set aside
their brutal habits, and were rendered tame. Therefore
1 This mountain is supposed to be the same as that at present called Carn Ingli, a cor
ruption of the name Carn Engylion, which overhangs Nevern, the principal church of thn
district. — Fenton's Pembrokeshire, page 543.
296 LIFE OF SAINT BRYNACH.
whenever he removed from one place of residence to an
other, he called from the flock any two stags he wished to
have, to draw the carriage, in which his furniture was placed
to be taken off; and when loosed from the yoke, they returned
to their accustomed pasture. Also a cow which he had
selected from the rest, as well for the size of her body, for
she was larger than the others, as for the large quantity of
her milk, was 'committed by him to the custody of a wolf;
which after the manner of a well-trained shepherd, drove
the cow every morning to its pasture, and in the evening
brought it safe home. It happened however at that time
that Maelgon king of Wales, travelled not far from the ha
bitation of the holy man, and sent to him, ordering that a
supper should be provided for him. But the holy man be
ing desirous that he and his associates, and also his local
property should be free from all tribute, asserted that he
did not owe a supper to the king, nor would he in any way
obey his unjust command. The persons who were sent, re
turned to their master, and told him that the man, to whom
they had been dispatched, would not provide a supper for
him. The king as he was easily moved from tranquillity of
mind, was also a drunkard, and known to be more ready to
injure than to relieve, and paying no regard to piety, sanctity,
or modesty, sent his messengers to fetch away the cow of
the holy man, and thereby provide food for him. Doubt
less he would not have spared the others, but they were in
distant pastures, and he fiercely said that on the morrow he
would deprive the holy man of his territory, and would to
tally destroy the place to the ground. The servants of ini
quity ran, and quickly brought the cow ; they prepare their
prey for future meals, take off the hide from the ribs, make
bare the entrails, part they cut into pieces, and place them in
a kettle on the fire, they apply fuel, and on all sides with
inflated cheeks hasten to blow it. The wolf which kept
the cow, in the mean time ran to its master, and sorrowful
and groaning, lay prostrate on the ground, as if asking par
don. Some one was present, who mentioned that the cow
LIFE OF SAINT BRYNACH. 297
had been taken away by the servants of the king, and had
been cut into pieces in order to be cooked.
But the holy man, laying his complaint before God, com
mitted his whole case to be avenged by divine judgment.
The king and his attendants were distressed with hunger, but
as yet there was not any hope for refreshment, for the water
in which the flesh had been placed to be cooked, remained
cold, the same as it was when it was put in, nor with a very
large fire was it more moved to boiling than if the fire had
been taken away, and a large quantity of ice placed in its
room. The king, and his attendants perceived the power
of God, and that the holy man was dear to him, for they
had heard what he had done, and were seized with great
fear; the king, being humbled, immediately laid aside his
royal haughtiness, and all equally proceeding with contrite
hearts, came to the holy man ; and having fallen at his feet
to the ground; the king being an advocate for himself and
attendants, confessed that they had sinned against him, and
promising that they would not again do such things, re
quested with humble prayer, and sincere devotion, that he
would have pity, and pray to the Almighty in behalf of
him, and his attendants. And Saint Brynach, free from all
bitterness, prayed to the Lord, and laying hold of the right
hand of the king, raised him up, and had confidence of his
having the hoped for piety towards the Most High. And
in the sight of them all he restored the cow to her former
state, and again committed her to the custody of the wolf.
After these things, in order that he might preserve the
king safe from what might follow, asked him to pass the
night with him, and what he had a short time before firmly
refused, he now gratuitously offered with liberal charity,
and a beneficent mind. The king gave thanks, and remained;
but what was to be done, for he had little or no provisions
to place before them as they sat down, but to hope in God,
as he had done, who sent food to the hungry children of
Israel in abundance, and rained manna upon them for their
sustenance. He went therefore to an oak, which was near.
298 LIFE OF SAINT BKYNACH.
and plucked off, hanging by the leaves, as many wheaten
loaves as were wanted; wherefore it was called the Bread
Oak, whilst it remained. He also went to the brook Caman,
for it ran near, where for water, he drew wine plentifully, and
from the same brook for the stones he extracted a suffici
ency of fishes. He came to the king, and his attendants,
and caused them to sit down, and placed plenty of food be
fore them; they partook, and were sufficiently filled, nor
were they disappointed with respect to what they wished.
After supper, the hour calling for it, they lay down, went
to sleep, and all of them slept soundly until the morning.
The king rising in the morning, awaked his attendants,
and according to the law of hospitality, gave thanks to Saint
Brynach, and said, "Because I have received thy gratui
tous beneficence, I will not disdain to bestow gratuitously
my munificence upon thee. In the name of God, and our
Lord Jesus Christ, I will exempt thee for ever from all regal
tribute, and the place of thy residence, and all the ter
ritory belonging to that place, and also all that reside there
in, and moreover I assign to thy jurisdiction the land of the
monk Telych; and whosoever therefore shall for the future,
cause anything to come against this my donation, may he
quickly incur the curse of God, and of all the faithful of
Christ." The saint of God gratefully receiving the king's
gift, gave thanks, and blessed him and his attendants with
a devout mind. Afterwards consoling each other, they
parted. How many, and what great miracles were per
formed by the holy man while he remained in the body,
would be difficult for any one to relate. At length it pleased
the Most High to take his saint from this uncertain, and
unstable habitation, and to place him happily among his
saints, and chosen persons in heavenly glory. And he passed
from this world on the seventh day of April, and his body
lies interred under the eastern wall of his church. Brynach
the saint of God is congratulated in heaven, and great mi
racles are frequently performed upon the earth, through
means of our Lord Jesus Christ.
II.
of urat
was formerly a gentleman in Powys-land, at a
place called Banhenic, near the river, which at that
time was called Sabrina, but at present is named in Welsh,
Havren, and in English, Severn; and the name of that
gentleman was Bugi,2 and his wife was named Beren, and
she was daughter of Llawdden; they were inoffensive per
sons, and their lives were virtuous; they kept the command
ments of God in every way as far as they were able, and
nothing bad in the world could be alleged against them.
They had no son to be their heir, and they were aged
persons, so as not to have children; for they had passed the
greater part of their time, and had slept together twelve
years without sexual intercourse, and that by agreement.
In the evening of a certain day, as they were talking to
gether, they saw an angel coming to them, whose raiment
was as white as snow, who said to them, " Be merry and joy
ful, for God has heard your prayer." And then the angel said
to them, " Let there be sexual intercourse to-night between
thee and thy wife, and she will become pregnant, and from
that pregnancy, a son will be born to thee, and he will be
1 From a MS. in the Library of the Earl of Macclesfield, collated with another MS. in
the Library of Jesus College Oxford.
2 Bugi, or as elsewhere called Hywgi, is said to have given all his lands to his brother's
college at Llancarvan, but there is no reason to suppose that monastery ever had any
lands in Powys, and the probabilty is against it. Hywgi himself has found a place among
the saints, and may possibly be identified with Hewi, one of the four holy personages of
Llangwm mentioned in the Liber Landavensis, page 262, — T. WAKEMAN.
LIFE Oi
honourable with respect to God and man."
and Beren was rendered
pregnant that night, and from that pregnancy, a son was
born to her, and to that son they gave the name of BEING. l
And they brought up their son, and at the same time gave
him instruction; and afterwards sent him to a Saint, who was
at Caerwent. The name of that saint was Tangusius,2 and his
parents by agreement placed him with him; and with that
Saint, with the assistance of God, he obtained a knowledge of
all the holy Scriptures; afterwards he learned the Service and
the Rules of the Church; and took orders, and became a
clergyman. And Ynyr Gwent, who was king of that country,
observing that he was humble, and chaste, and generous,
and in every respect keeping the commandments of God,
received him honourably and graciously, and gave him a
gold ring and a crown; also he became a disciple and monk
to Saint Beino, and gave him three estates in Euas,3 and all
the people who dwelt on those estates, and their property.
1 Beino was the son of Hywgi or Bugi ap Gwynlliw Filwr, and Perferen, daughter of
Llawdden Luyddog, of Dinas Eiddin in the North. He was therefore nearly related to
Cattwg, and Kentigern, with the latter of whom he was contemporary. He lived in the
sixth century, and his life extended to the following, as it is recorded that he founded a
religious society, at Clynog Fawr, in Caernarvonshire, in the year 616. The land on
which the Monastery or College of Clynog Fawr was built, was given by Cadvan, the
reigning prince of North Wales, to whom Saint Beino gave a small golden sceptre as an
acknowledgement for the gift. In his old age he was one of the instructors of Gwen-
frewi, or St. Winefred ; his festival is holden on April 21, and the following eleven
churches are dedicated to him, Berriew and Bettws, in Montgomeryshire ; Llanycil, and
Gwyddelwern, in Merionethshire ; Clynog Fawr, Carnglwch, Pistill, and Penmorva, in
Caernarvonshire ; Aberffraw and Trefdraeth, in Anglesey ; and Llanveino, in Hereford
shire. — Professor Rees's Welsh Saints, page 268.
2 There can be no hesitation in identifying Saint Tangusius with Tangwn ap Talhaiarn,
who probably succeeded St. Tathai, tha preceptor of St. Cadoc. This gives us an inter
esting date, for Talhaiarn is mentioned by Nennius as a Welsh Poet, a contemporary of
Taliesin. — In the lolo MSS. he is said to have been a pupil of Maelgyn Hir, who under
the names of Maelgyn, Melchinus and Melkin is mentioned by Leland, Lewis in his His
tory of Britain, Capgrave and Harding, from whom we collect that he was a learned man
of the college of Caerlleon, and died about the middle of the sixth century. Talhaiarn
must of course have been much younger, and most likely survived his master some years,
and Tangwn was probably living in the beginning of the seventh century, and this agrees
exactly with the statement of his having been the preceptor of St. Beino, who as all ac
counts agree, was living and contemporary with Cadvan king of North Wales, who
reigned from 616 to 630 ; we arrive then at a near approximation to the respective eras
of all these individuals. W.
3 A district in the western part of Herefordshire, from which Ewyas Laci, and Ewyas
Harold receive their names, and where Beino built a church upon land given him by
Ynyr Gwent, or more probably by his son Iddon, who was contemporary with St. Teilo.
The place is well known, and retains the name Llanveino near Longtown. — W.
LIFE OF SAINT BEINO. 301
And at that time the father of Beino became ill of a
hopeless disease, and he sent messengers to his son Beino,
and requested him to come to him on his blessing; then
Beino said to his companions, and disciples, " Let three of
you remain in this city, and I will go to my father, who is
very ill;" and so they did. And Saint Beino commended
them to the king, and the principal men of the country.
And he went forwards until he came to where his father lay
ill. And his father after receiving the communion, making
confession, and rendering his end perfect, departed from
this life. Afterwards Beino resided in the township of his
father, and there he built a church,1 which he consecrated in
the name of the Lord Christ; and he set an acorn on the
side of his father's grave, which there grew to an oak of
great size, height, and of a fine form, and on that tree grew
a branch which reached the ground, and from the ground
again upwards as high as the boughs of the tree, and there
was a part of this branch in the ground, as it is at present:
and if an Englishman should go between that branch and
the body of the tree, he would immediately die, but should
a Welshman go, he would be nothing worse.
And Beino, after remaining there some time, left the
township of his father, and went onwards to Maun, son of
Brochwel, and he received him graciously, and genteelly, on
account of his friendship, and generosity, and his observ
ance of the commandments of God. And then Maun on
account of his own soul, and of the soul of his father, gave
Aberrhiw2 to God and Beino. And on a certain day as
Beino was travelling near the river Severn, where was a
ford, lo, he heard a voice on the other side of the river, in
citing dogs to hunt a hare, being that of an Englishman,
who spoke as loud as he could, " Cergia," which in that
language incited the dogs. And when Beino heard the
voice of the Englishman, he immediately returned, and
1 Probably one of those churches at Llangwm, where there were formerly two, but one is
now in ruin.
2 Aberrhiw, or Berriew, a parish in Montgomeryshire, near Welsh pool, the church of
which is dedicated to St. Beino.
2Q
302 LIFE OF SAINT BEING.
coming to his disciples, said to them, " My sons, put on
your clothes and your shoes, and let us leave this place, for
the nation of this man has a strange language, and is abomi
nable, and I heard his voice, on the other side of the river,
inciting the dogs after a hare; they have invaded this place,
and it will be theirs, and they will keep it in their posses
sion." And then Beino said to one of his disciples, Bith-
yliut was his name, " My son," said he, "be obedient to me;
I wish that thou wilt remain here, my blessing shall be
with thee, and the cross which I have made, I will leave
with thee." And the blessing of Beino bound that disciple
and he remained there. And Beino and his disciples came
as far as Meivod,1 and there he remained with Tysilio forty
days and forty nights.
And from thence he came to king Cynan, son of Broch-
wel, and he requested a place to pray for his soul, and those
of his friends. And then the king gave to him Gwydel-
werun,2 a place, which had the name given to it by the
Irishman, whom Beino there raised from the dead, and his
wife who had been the cause of his death. And there
Beino erected a church, at the time that the nephews of
Cynan came from hunting to Beino to request food from
him ; and there they always remained. And then Beino
ordered his servants to take a young ox from the mountain,
and kill it, and provide food for the men who requested it of
him. And the servants did so. And the meat was put to boil
in a pot on the fire in the third hour of the day, and it was
on the fire until the evening, and the men without ceasing
kept the fire burning under the pot, and in the evening the
water had not become warm, nor had the meat changed its
colour. Then one of the laymen said to the scholars, " This
man by his art does this, so that we have nothing to eat;"
and when Beino heard this discourse from his mouth, he
inflicted his curse upon him, and he died before the end of
1 Where a church was built by Beino, on land granted to him by Cynan, son of Broch-
wel Ysgythrog, Prince of Powys. — Cambrian Register, vol. I.
3 The present church of the parish of Gwyddelwern, in Merionethshire, is dedicated to
St. Beino.-— Professor Rees's Welsh Saints, page 268.
LIFE OF SAINT BEING. 303
the day. Then he returned to the sons of Selyff, and said
to them, " What your fathers have given to God, will you
that it be given as with a tax, and obligation thereon: as
God has given it to me, and he will do to me as to one who
serves him, may your heir never possess it, and may you be
destroyed from this kingdom, and from an eternal one here
after." And then what Beino requested in his prayer, he
obtained.
Then Beino left that place, and went as far as the banks
of the river Dee, to seek for a place to pray to God, and
did not obtain one, and then he came to Temic, the son of
Eliud; and this Temic gave to Beino for ever, and free from
claim, a township, and Beino built a church there, and con
secrated it to God. Temic very soon after left this solitary
place to Saint Beino. On a certain day, Temic and his wife
went to church to hear mass and preaching by Beino, and
left their daughter to keep watch at home, and the maiden
was very beautiful, and was not as yet given to a husband.
And as she was keeping watch, lo, she saw the king who was
over that place, coming to her: Caradoc was his name; she
then arose to meet him, and was cheerful to him. Then the
king asked her " Where was her father?" " He is gone," said
she, "to church, if you have any business to do with him, stay a
little, and he will soon come back." " I will not wait," said
he, " unless you will become my concubine." The maiden
said, " I will not be thy concubine, because thou art a king,
and from kings thou wast born, and I am not of equal blood,
that I should be united to thee by being thy concubine, but
said she, " remain here while I go to my chamber, and I
will do what you wish." And in a minute she left the
chamber, and went towards the church, where were her
father and mother. And the king saw her going, and was
displeased, and as she got to the door of the church, he over
took her, and with his sword cut off her head, which fell
into the church, and the body remained on the outside.
Beino and her father and mother saw what was done,
and Beino looking in the face of the king, said, " I request
304 LIFE OF SAINT BEING.
of God," said he, " that he will not spare thee, and will
not respect thee more than thou hast respected this good
maiden." And in that hour the king melted into a pool,
and was no more seen in this world. Then Beino took the
head of the maiden, and placed it to the body, and spread
ing his mantle on the body, said to her father and mother,
who were at her head lamenting, "Be silent a little while,
until the mass be over." And then Beino sacrificed to God;
and when mass was over, the maiden arose quite well; and
the sweat was wiped from her face, and God and Beino re
stored her to perfect health. And in the place, where the
blood fell to the ground, a fountain arose; which there re
mains to this day, curing men, and brute animals of their
diseases and wounds. And that fountain is called, after the
name of the maiden, WINEFRED'S WELL;1 and many per
sons saw that, and believed in Christ; and one of those who
believed was Cadvan, king of North Wales, who gave to
Beino much land and territory.
And after the death of Cadvan, Beino went to visit Cad-
wallon his son, who was king after him. And Beino re
quested the land of Cadvan, for at that time he had not a
place to pray to God, nor wherein to dwell. And then the
king gave to Beino, a place in Arvon, called Gwaredauc;
and Beino gave to the king a gold sceptre, which Conan
the son of Brochwel, when he was about to die, had given
to him, and that sceptre was worth sixty cows; and there
Beino built a church, and began to build a wall round about
it; and as he was, on a certain day, building the wall, and
his disciples with him, lo, they saw a woman coming to
them with a newly born infant in her arms, and requesting
Beino to bless the child. Beino said, "Ha, woman, stop a
little while until this is done ;" but the child was crying, so
that it was not easy to endure it. "Ha, woman," said Beino,
" what causes the child to cry?" "Ha, good saint," said the
woman, "there is a cause for it." "Ha, good woman," said
1 A celebrated and copious flowing fountain in Flintshire.
LIFE OF SAINT BEING. 305
Beino, "what is that cause?" "Truly," said the woman, "the
land which you possess, and are building a church thereon,
is a township of the father of the child." Then Beino said to
his disciples, "Take your hands off the work," said he; "while
I baptize the child, and prepare my chariot; we will go with
this woman and child, to visit the king, who gave me the
township of his father."
And then Beino and his disciples set out with the
woman and child, and came to Caerseint, where the king
was ; which place is at present called Caernarvon. And
then Beino said to the king, " Why," said he, " didst thou
give me the township, when there was one who owned it?
The child," said Beino, "who is in that woman's arms
owns that land, and is heir thereof; give thou the land,"
said Beino, " to the child, and give me some other land in
stead of it, or restore to me the gift I presented you with,
that is, the gold sceptre." But the haughty king returned
an arrogant answer to Beino. " I will not exchange the
land with thee, the gift which you gavest to me, I have
given to another." And Beino became angry and said, "I
request of God," said he, " that thou shalt not long possess
the land and territory ;" and Beino went away and left him
under a curse. The king had a cousin named Guideuit,
who went after Beino, and met him on the other side of
the river called Seint, where Beino was sitting on a stone
on the banks of the river. And for the sake of his soul,
and of the soul of his cousin Cadwallon, he gave to God
and Beino for ever, his township, called Kelynauc, without
rent, or service, or any one possessing or claiming it ; and
Beino performed there, through the power of God, miracles
which no one of this world could enumerate.
And at that time, it happened that one of the workmen
at Aberffraw1 went to the palace of Ynyr Gwent, and no
young man was handsomer; and when the daughter of
Ynyr Gwent saw him, she could not for a minute be from
1 A town in Anglesey, the church of which is dedicated to St. Beino.
306 LIFE OF SAINT BEING.
his society. And the king becoming acquainted therewith,
chose to give the young man in marriage to his daughter,
lest she should have him in some other way ; being willing
to have one so handsome for his son and his subject. And
after a space of time, the young man returned, with his
wife, to his own country, and they came to a place called
Pennard in Arvon, and there they alighted from off their
horses, and rested themselves; and through fatigue and
weariness sleep overtook the princess; and while she slept,
he became much ashamed to go to his country, with a wife
so nobly descended without having a place to take her to, and
obliged to go again to the place where he had been work
ing, and gaining his maintenance. And then, through the
instigation of the devil, he cut off her head while she was
asleep, and afterwards returned to the country with the va
luable horses, and the gold and the silver to the king. And
therewith he obtained an office from the king, and became
his steward. And the shepherds of Beino saw the corpse, and
immediately went to mention it to him; Beino then went
with them without delay to where the corpse was. And
immediately took the head and pressed it to the body; and
falling on his knees, he prayed to God, as follows, "Lord,
the Creator of heaven and earth, to whom there is not any
thing unknown, raise this body in health." And immediately
the maiden arose quite well, and related to Beino all that
had taken place. Beino then said to her, "Wilt thou
choose," said he, "to return to thy country, or remain here
serving God." The good and meek maiden said, " Here,"
said she, "I will remain, serving God, near thee who rose
me to life from the dead." And in the place where the
blood fell to the ground, a clear fountain sprang up, and
that fountain received its appellation from the name of the
young woman, and was called DIGWC'S WELL.
And after a space of time, Iddon,1 the son of Ynyr Gwent,
JHe gave considerable property to the church of Llandaff.— Liber Landavensis,
pages 33-i, 358, 412.
LIFE OF SAINT BEING. 307
and brother of the princess, came to Beino to ask for his
sister. When he came there, the young woman was with
Beino serving God, and he asked her, whether she would
come with him from that country; and she said that she
would not come, nor leave the place where she had been
raised from the dead. And when Idon saw that he could
not prevail, he requested Beino to come with him as far as
Aberffraw, to make a request to the king, and obtain
from him the horses, and the gold, and silver, which the
man had taken with his sister. And they both went to the
king's palace, and Iddon saw the man whom he sought. And
immediately he drew his sword, and attacking him, cut off
his head; then the king became angry, and gave orders
that the man who had committed the murder should be
apprehended. Then said Beino, " Do not," said he, "put
your hand on the man who came with me." Then the king
in his anger hurried away, and swore that he would cause the
man to be immediately destroyed, unless Beino would raise
to life the man who was killed. Then Beino, who had been
confidently trusting in God, rose the murdered man to life.
And the king repented of having tried the saint, and gave
to him the house wherein he resides, and it is called Beino.
Many other things we have omitted, and have left unre
lated, lest this account might be rendered tedious. These
are a few of the miracles of Beino; and no one knows what
God did to Beino, bat God himself. And it is manifest
that whosoever does good, God will be his assistant; all
that God commanded, Beino performed ; meat and drink
he gave to all whom he saw that were hungry and thirsty,
clothing he gave to the naked, and lodging to strangers,
he visited the sick, conferred benefits on prisoners, and
whatever the Holy Scriptures ordered to be done, he per
formed.
And as the life-time of Beino was ending, and his last
day approaching, on the seventh day after Easter, he saw
heaven opening, and the angels descending, and ascending
up again. And then said Beino, "I see," said he, "the Trinity,
308 LIFE OF SAINT BEING.
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and Peter, and
Paul, arid the Druids, and Deiniol, and the Saints, and the
Prophets, and the Apostles, and the Martyrs appearing to me.
And I see among them seven angels standing near the
throne of the most high Father; and all the fathers of
heaven singing their songs, saying, "Blessed is he whom
thou hast chosen, and taken, and dost dwell with for ever."
"I hear," said he, "the sound of the trumpet of the most high
Father inviting me, and saying, My son, cast away from thee
the burden of thy flesh, now the time is coming, and thou art
invited to partake with thy brethren of the feast that never
ends. Thy body will remain in the earth, but the hosts of
heaven and the angels will bring thy soul to heaven, which
thou hast gained here by thy works. And in the day of
judgment, thou wilt be present when the Lord will say to
the saints, Come ye blessed children of my Father, inherit
the kingdom, which has been prepared for you from the
beginning of the world; where will be life without death,
youth without old age, health without sickness, and joy
without sorrow; and the saints in the upper world with
God the Father, will be united to the angels and arch
angels, in the union of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
AMEN."
Let us beseech the mercy of Almighty God, that through
the assistance of Saint Beino, we may also with him obtain
eternal life for ever and ever. AMEN.
HERE is THE PEDIGREE OF SAINT BEINO.
Beino was the son of Bugi, the son of Gwinlliu, the son
of Tegit, the son of Cadell Deyrnllwg, the son of Gortegy-
run, the son of Gorthevyn, the son of Gorthgeyrun, the son
of Rutegyrn, the son of Deheuwynt, the son of Eudegan,
the son of Eudegern, the son of Elud, the son of Endos,
the son of Endolen, the son of Avallad, the son of Amalech,
the son of Belim, the son of Anna, who was cousin to the
Virgin Mary, the mother of Christ.
III.
«IP » af iaint
HERE BEGINS THE PREFACE TO THE LIFE OF THE MOST BLESSED
CADOC, ALSO CALLED SOPHIA, BISHOP AND MARTYR, OF
THE CITY OF BENEVENTUM.
reigned formerly on the borders of Britain, called
Dimetia,2 a certain regulus, named Glywys,3 from
whom all the country of that district, in all the days of
his life, was called Glywysyg,4 who is said to have ten
1 Cadoc is generally called in Welsh Cattwg. He was the eldest son of Gwynlliw
Filwr, and lived in the latter part of the sixth century. On account of his wisdom, he is
generally known by the appellation of Cattwg Ddoeth, (the Wise Cattwg,) and a large
collection of his maxims and moral sayings, both in prose and verse, is preserved in the
III. Vol. of the Myv. Arch. He was the first Principal, or Abbot of Llancarfan, and his
college, like all the rest founded in Wales, in the infancy of monastic institutions, seems
to have partaken both of a monastery, and a place of education. Though it is said to
have been situated at Llancarfan, the particular spot, on which it stood, was called Llan-
feithin, for which reason, the names are used indiscriminately. He is considered to have
been the founder of several churches, — -in Brecknockshire, Llangattock, Crickhowel; in
Glamorganshire, Porteinion, Gelligaer, Cadoxton juxta Barry, Llancarfan, Pendeulwyn,
Pentyrch, Llanmaes, and Cadoxton juxta Neath; arid in Monmouthshire, Llangattock,
near Usk, Llangattock Lenig, Llangattock Lingoed, Llangattock Feibion Afel, and Caer-
lleon on Usk. He has been confounded with Cadog the son of Brychan, who died in A.D.
490, and is said to have been buried in France. The churches founded by whom are
Llanspyddid in Brecknockshire, and Llangadog Fawr in Carmarthenshire. There was
formerly a chapel in Kidwely dedicated to St. Cadog, and perhaps one or two churches
which have been confounded with those attributed to Cattwg, ought to be added to the
number.— Professor Rees's Welsh Saints, pp. 142, 143, 176, 177.
2 Or Dyved, here meaning South Wales, although the name is more strictly applicable
to Pembrokeshire, and a large portion of the counties of Carmarthen and Cardigan.
— Lady Charlotte Guest's Mabinogion, Vol. II. p. 73.
3 Or Glewis; he was the son of Tegid ap Cadell Deyrnllwg. (See "The lolo MSS."
page 384.) Glywys was probably the person of that name who witnessed a grant to
St. Dubricius, inserted in page 318 of the Liber Landavensis.
4 Glywysyg, the district of which Glywys was lord, and to which he gave its name,
seems to have comprised a considerable portion of Glamorgan and Gwent. A MS. for
merly in the possession of Watkin Giles, of Llangan, defines the district thus ; " The country
now called the Cantred of Wentlwg, lying between the river Usk, on the side of Gwent,
and the river Elerch, otherwise the greater Rumney, on the side of Kibor, in Glamorgan,
—lolo MSS. page 384.
2 R
310 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
children. The eldest of whom was called Gwynlliw,1 from
whose name, the country, which he governed, was after the
death of his father, to the present day, called Gwynlliw.2
Whose cousins, as brothers of good and ingenuous disposi
tion, by a birthday custom, peaceably and carefully divided
their father's kingdom amongst themselves, according to
their number ; to every one a province, except only to Pe-
drog3 the fourth, who gave up a transitory for a perpetual
inheritance. Their names and adjacent provinces are as
follow : — Gwynlliw, the eldest son, obtained the chief part of
his father's kingdom, namely Gwynllwg ; Etelic had Ede-
lygion,4 Poul Penychen,5 Seru Serugunid, Gwrhai6 Gurinid,7
Mar Margam,8 Cettil Kidwely, Cornouguil Carnwyllion,8
Metel Crucmetil. And one of them Pedrog would not
receive with them a portion ; as he rejected altogether the
vanities, and momentary allurements of this world, and ac
cording to the example of the holy fathers, despised wordly
for heavenly things; he began to adhere firmly to God, and
gave up his country, his kindred, and at last all the things
of this world. Travelling from home, by the direction of
God, in the country of Cornwall, he came at length to the
district which is called Botmenei,9 where, during his whole
life, he served God most devoutly, and erected a very large
monastery to his honour. And his festival is celebrated
reverently and with great solemnity on the II of the nones
of June. — Here ends the Preface.
1 Gwynlliw Filwr, or Gwynlliw the Warrior.
2 Generally termed the Hundred of Gwynllwg, or Wentloog, in Monmouthshire.
3 Pedrog was the founder of the churches of Llanbedrog, Caernarvonshire, St. Petrox,
Pembrokeshire, and of others in Devon and Cornwall, of which counties he may be con
sidered the tutelar saint.— Professor Rees's Welsh Saints, p. 226.
4 An ancient district in Monmouthsire.— The name of Edelig (Etelic,) occurs as a
witness to a grant, to Oudoceus, of lands, in Gwentis Coed, on the banks of the Wye.—
Liber Landavensis, p. 403.
6 An ancient district in Glamorgan.
6 Gwrhai's name occurs as a witness to a grant to Bishop Arwystl.— Liber Landa
vensis, p. 413.
7 Gorwennydd, a district, probably co extensive with the present ecclesiastical Deanery
jroneath, Glamorgan.— lolo MSS. p. 398.
8 Kidwely and Carnwyllion, Hundreds in Carmarthenshire. s Bodmin, in Cornwall.
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 311
HERE BEGINS THE PROLOGUE TO THE LIFE OF THE SAME
SAINT. AMEN.
After a long interval of time, the aforesaid king Gwynlliw
enjoying his kingdom, desired to be joined in wedlock
to a certain young lady for her very high reputation,
who was elegant in appearance, beautiful in form,
and adorned with silk vestments ; her name was Gwla-
dys,1 and she was the daugher of a certain regulus
called Brychan. Therefore he sent many messengers
to the father of the young lady, who earnestly request
ed that she should be given to him in marriage ; but her
father having heard the message, became angry, and full of
rage refused to betroth his daughter, slighted the messen
gers, and sent them back without honour; which they
taking amiss, returned and related to their master what had
been done to them. Which being heard, raging with great
anger, he armed as many as three hundred slaves, who
should take the young lady away by force. They im
mediately set on their journey, and came to the court of
the aforesaid regulus, which is called Talgarth,2 and found
the young lady before the door of her residence, sitting
with her sisters, and passing the time in modest conversa
tion ; whom they immediately took by force, and returned
with speed.
Which Brychan her father hearing, he was seized with
grief of heart, and mourning the loss of his dearest daugh
ter, called to his assistance all his friends and neighbours
to recover her. All his auxiliaries having come together, he
with haste pursues his enemy with his accomplices ; whom
when Gwynlliw saw, he frequently ordered the said young
lady to be brought forward, and he made her ride with him;
and not flying, but taking her slowly on horseback, he pre
ceded his army, waited for his soldiers, and manfully exhor-
1 As Brychan died in 450, according to the generally received accounts, Gwladys must
have been his grand-daughter, and not his daughter, as here stated. — See Professor Rees's
Welsh Saints, p. 146.
2 A place in Brecknockshire, about 9 miles eastward from Brecknock.
312 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
ted them to battle. But Brychan, with his men, boldly at
tacking the hard-hearted king and his followers, slew two
hundred, and pursued them to the hill, which is the
boundary between the two countries, and is called in the
British language Bochriwcarn,1 which signifies the cheek of
a stony road. But when Gwynlliw had arrived at the boun
dary of his dominions, being bodily safe with the aforesaid
young lady, and sorrowful from fighting with his enemies, a
great slaughter having taken place, lo, three brave heroes,
Arthur, with his two knights, namely, Kai and Bedwir,2
were sitting upon the top of the aforesaid hill and playing
with dice.
When they saw the king with the young lady coming
near them, Arthur was immediately seized with love
towards the lady, and full of bad thoughts, said to his
companions, "Know ye that I am vehemently inflamed
with love towards the lady, whom the soldier carries
off, riding." But they forbiding him said, " Far be from
thee to commit such wickedness ; for we have been accus
tomed to assist the destitute and the distressed, where
fore let us go forward, and quickly render our assistance
that this contest may be terminated." And he said,
" Since ye both will assist him, rather than take away the
lady from him for me, go and meet them, arid carefully en
quire which of them is the owner of this territory." And
they immediately departed, and to the enquiry made by the
1 Bochriwcarn, seems to be some place in the north part of the parish of Bedwelty, Mon
mouthshire, on the borders of Brecknockshire, as Rhiw Carn is the name of a mountain
road, leading from near Beaufort Iron Works towards Llangynnidr, near which are nu
merous Cams, whence probably the name. — W.
This notice of Arthur and his knights may perhaps be considered by some as an em
bellishment borrowed from the Mabinogion ; it however, so far as it goes, incidentally
confirms what is generally supposed to be authentic in the history of that hero. Thus
Arthur's ignorance of whose territory he was upon, coincides with the fact of his own
particular dominions being in Devon and Cornwall, for his connexion with Wales must
be considered rather intrusive than otherwise. He was, however, allied by family ties
to some of the Silurian reguli, for we can glean from the Liber Landavensis and other
authorities, that his grandfather, Cystennyn Gorneu, founded churches in Ergyng, and
that his father's sister was married to Pebiau ab Urb ab Erbin, king of Gwent and Er
gyng.— His cousin, Geraint ab Erbin, is also stated to have founded a church at Caer-
ffawydd, or Hereford.
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
313
order of the king, Gwynlliw answered, " God being wit
ness, and all the most learned in the land, I profess myself
to be owner of this territory." The messengers on return
ing to their master, mentioned what they had heard from
him. Then Arthur with his armed companions rushed
upon the enemies of Gwynlliw, who turning their backs, fled
with great confusion to their own country. Then Gwynlliw
triumphing, through the assistance of Arthur, went with
the aforesaid lady Gwladys to his palace that was on that
hill, which from his name afterwards received the British
appellation, Alltwynlliw, that is the Hill of Gwynlliw ; for
from Gwynlliw, Gwynllwg, and from Brychan, Brycheiniog
are called.
HERE BEGINS THE LIFE OF THE SAME SAINT. IX KAL. FEB.
1. OF THE ANGELIC REVELATION, AND THE BIRTH OF SAINT CADOC.
Those things having been done, king Gwynlliw united
himself in lawful wedlock, to the aforesaid daughter of
Brychan, named Gwladys ; who conceived, and wonderful
to be mentioned, four lamps were seen shining every night,
with great brightness, in the four corners of the house
where she remained, until she brought forth her first born
son. And from this, it is manifest to all that the infant was
elected by God from his mother's womb, like that prophecy
of Isaiah, " From thy mother's womb have I elected thee,"
and elsewhere, " From my mother's belly the Lord called
me."
On a certain night some of Gwynlliw's thieves1 came for
the puspose of committing a robbery, to a town wherein
dwelt a religious Irishman, who was a hermit and devoutly
served God, which thieves, the aforesaid Gwynlliw loved, and
instigated to robbery. But the said hermit possessed no
worldly property except a cow big in calf, that was the best
1 The character of Gwynlliw as here given, although by no means complimentary, is, no
doubt, a true portrait of many a Welsh Chieftain at that time, and some centuries after
wards.
314 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
in all the district, arid with her abundant milk sufficiently
supplied with refreshment the hermit, and his twelve ser
vants; which cow the aforesaid thieves stole. On the
night, in which this crime was committed, Gwladys the
wife of the oft-mentioned king brought forth her first-born
son. Also in the same night, a voice from heaven announ
ced to the father of the infant, in his sleep, saying, " A
certain holy presbyter, and anchorite, by the direction of
God will come to thee to-morrow, betimes in the morning,
whom, when thou seest, humbly and devoutly receive, and
kneeling earnestly beseech him to purify thy son in the
font of regeneration ; and his name will be called Cathmail.
And when he has completed his seventh year, thou mayest
give him up to the same regenerator, to receive instruction
from his learning."
Also the angel of the Lord, on the same night, likewise
appeared to the venerable presbyter, saying to him " Arise
quickly, gird thyself, and put on thy shoes ; for thy cow has
been taken away by thieves, therefore make haste to look
after her. But when thou comest to the court yard of
Gwynlliw, where doubtless thou wilt find her, there hasten by
the command of God to baptize the son of the king, by
whom thy cow is detained, and afterwards when he is seven
years of age thou art to instruct him in the books of the holy
Scriptures. Therefore the aforesaid king, in the same night,
mentioned to his wife Gwladys all that he had dreamed,
before the said hermit came, who therefore greatly rejoiced.
On the following day the aforesaid priest attended by his
disciples came early by the direction of God, to procure
his cow ; and was going to the bed where the king slept,
but was opposed by the stern porters, and he did not enter;
which becoming known to the king, he was quickly permitted
to come in ; and the cow he had lost was restored to him,
and gladly received. For the king respected him, and im
mediately knew him to be the servant of God who had
been revealed to him by the oracle, and bowing, he
earnestly with downcast eyes supplicated the man of God
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 315
that he would baptize his son in the laver of salvation. He
complying with the petitions of his enemy, according to
the angelic command, baptized the child, agreeably to our
Lord's command, " Love your enemies, do good to them
who hate you, and pray for those who persecute you, and
despitefully use you, that ye may be the sons of my Father
who is in heaven." But in the performance of this baptism,
divine power deigned to shew, by a wonderful sign, how
great the boy would be. For when the man of God, Meu-
thi1, would baptize the son of the aforesaid king, the ser
vant of the king, named Snaudrentia, being fatigued with
their long journey, and in want of water for drink, uttered
words of complaint in the hearing of Meuthi, the man of
God, alleging that they were obliged daily to carry water
on their shoulders from a distance. Meuthi answered them,
" Let us all pray to our Lord Jesus Christ, that he would
bestow running water to us, his servants, and to the infant,
who has been elected by him from his mother's womb."
When prayer was ended, a large fountain sprang up, and
flowing abundantly, effected a river; which being done, and
all persons exulting and praising God, the blessed Meu
thi declared in answer that the force of the " stream had
made joyful the city of God." Moreover, when a certain
woman brought in her arms the young child to be baptized
at the fountain, which, by means of the aforesaid holy her
mit, had lately sprung up from the earth, he leaping from the
arms of the person who brought him, by three leaps, with
out any one assisting him, got to the aforesaid fountain,2
1 The hermit who baptized and afterwards became the preceptor of Cadoc is here,
and the following paragraphs, called Meuthi ; in other accounts of the saint he is called
Tathai, who, in the Achau Saint, is represented as of Armorican descent, and brother of
St. Samson, but here and in the Liber Landavensis, their father is called an Irishman,
which is perhaps more correct, as Tathai or Tathan is a proper Irish name, equivalent to
Dewi or David. Tathai is one of the Patron Saints of Llanvaches, which is called in the
records with an alias Llandathai, very near Caerwent, which, we may therefore suppose
was the town, the plundering of which would, it appears, have been extremely agreeable
to Gwynlliw, and whose Lord, Caradog ap Ynyr Gwent, would no doubt, have heen
equally happy to have appropriated to his own use any of the herds and flocks of his
neighbour that fell in his way. Tathai was the superior of a famous school at Caerwent ,
and there we may suppose Cadoc was educated. — W.
2 In the margin, " Dipped himself three times in the water, in the name of the holy
Trinity."
316 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
which miracle the divine goodness performed to make known
the grace of the child, according to the saying written in
the Psalms, " The Lord is wonderful in his saints." Those
three leaps of the young child denoted the mystical number
of the holy Trinity, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, to
whom, with all his might, and effect, he rendered obedience,
studying to proceed daily from virtue to virtue, that
he might deserve to see the God of all gods in Sion. And
when the blessed Meuthi saw him leaping alone, he
rejoiced, and with a more ready mind baptized him in the
holy fountain, and according to the angelic command, gave
him the name of Cathmail.1
2. HOW THE BOY CADOC WAS INSTRUCTED BY HOLY MEUTHI.
The infant having been born a second time by the grace
of baptism, the aforesaid presbyter returned him, after the
manner of baptized persons, to his parents, saying, " Joyfully
receive that child, who by the angelic command, was puri
fied by me in the laver of salvation, and preserve him for
seven years from all injurious things, and this being done,
resolve that he should be instructed in divine literature."
Which being heard, the father of the child said to the holy
presbyter, "To thee, before all the doctors of Britain, I will
intrust my son, that after the fixed number of years are past,
thou mayest instruct him in the liberal arts, and divine doc
trines, because thou art a true worshipper of God, and a skil
ful teacher of many disciples." To these words holy Meuthi
answered, " All those things which you mention respecting
this child, God willing I will effectually perform." These mat
ters being done as has been related, holy Meuthi having ob
tained the aforesaid cow, returned to his own habitation.
3. OF THE FOUNTAIN WHICH HAD SUDDENLY SPRUNG UP FOR THE
BAPTISM OF THE CHILD BEING TURNED TO METHEGLIN.
But we consider that it should not, by any means, be
1 It is singular we are not told why or when the Saint took the name of Cadoc, as his
baptismal name was Cathmail, which seems confirmed by the Liber Landavensis, p. 372,
where Llancarvan is called Cadmael. — W.
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 317
passed over what the divine mercy did, to make manifest
the grace of the oftmentioned child, respecting the afore
said fountain, in which holy Cathmail and Cadoc1 were
baptized. In the first year after the baptism of Saint Cadoc,
it was, as is related by the more skilful ancient writers of
Britain, turned into mead, both in taste and colour. And in
the second year it preserved the colour and sweetness of
milk throughout the year. Therefore to those persons who
dwelt in the country, wherein was the fountain, which flowed
from the ground at the prayer of the said hermit, and for
the love of Saint Cadoc, and drank thereof, it never failed
nor lost its sweetness. But a very great dispute, and con
tention arose between unjust heirs, so that they dreadfully
fought with each other, on the account of the fountain, and
great slaughter of them was effected, namely a hundred
countrymen slain, and many wounded, and those who re
mained, at length returned with their horses, and bloody
clothes to their habitations. Therefore God the giver of all
good things, who, by this fountain, deigned to show his be
nevolence, became angry and exasperated on account of
their wickedness and injustice, and caused the liquor to re
turn to its natural insipidity, according to the saying to
Moses, "I will hide from them my face, saith the Lord,
I will see what their end shall be, for they are a fro ward ge
neration, children in whom is no faith." When the term of
seven years was past, and all the allurements of the world
being despised, the boy Cadoc, with the consent of his pa
rents, of his own accord, placed himself under the master
ship of his baptizer Meuthi to be instructed in sacred
literature, and the liberal arts. And he willingly taking
him, agreeably to the command of the angel, diligently in
structed him in Donatus and Priscian,2 and other arts for
twelve years. Therefore when Cadoc, of pious memory,
1 Both Cathmail and Cadoc are here mentioned as if they were two different persons,
but inaccurately, probably an error of some transcriber.
a Meaning, Grammatical Learning; Donatus and Priscian having been celebrated
learned Grammarians.
9 *
318 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
had passed the age of childhood, he began to be greatly
devoted to God, and to strive with all his might to obtain
by well doing the inheritance of eternal life, and overcom
ing his childhood, he gave up his mind to no pleasure. For
what the evangelist said concerning the child Jesus, might
not improperly be mentioned respecting this, his servant,
" The child grew, and was comforted, and the Spirit of God
was with him."
4. OF THE PUNISHMENT OF THE COUNTRYMAN, WHO REFUSED TO GIVE
FIRE TO THE CHILD CADOC.
On a certain day, when their fire was extinguished, the
aforesaid presbyter ordered his humble auditor to fetch
fire, to cook the meat; he readily obeying the order of his
master, immediately went to a thrashing floor, or win
nowing place for corn, where was a certain servant of his
master, who was named Tidus, and was at that time drying
oats, and he earnestly requested that he would give him
fire for the use of his master. But the foolish rustic re
jected his request, and refused to give him any, except he
would carry the burning coals in his cloak. Yet he, trust
ing in the Lord, received the coals of fire into his cloak ;
and brought them to his master, without the garment being
burnt. But it is not to be concealed that the rustic re
ceived a punishment due to his perverseness ; for the boy, in
returning, beheld the rustic, and raising his eyes towards
heaven, prayed to the Lord, saying, "I beseech thee, God
the Father, Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth,
who grantest power on earth to thy servants by destroying
scorpions, extinguishing poisons, casting out demons, giving
sight to the blind, cleansing lepers, healing the sick, tam
ing the fierce, and subduing sinners and impious persons,
hear my prayers with thy ears, that this rustic by the kind
ling of his own firebrands, may with his thrashing floor and
corn, be burnt together, and that his thrashing floor be
cursed by God, so that no one, after his death, may use it
for an age, and that his offspring be subject to the heathens.
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 319
However I do not, by these supplications, which I have
addressed to thy goodness, wish that the aforesaid sinner
should be condemned in his wickedness, since the Lord
saith, " I will not the death of the sinner, but rather that he
should be converted and live." And Paul, " Not rendering
evil for evil, nor cursing for cursing, but contrarywise bless
ing." But that the divine virtue and power in this world
might be manifest to the wicked, and they might the more
fear thee, and abhor resisting those who serve thee; as it is
read in Daniel, "Let all those who inhabit the earth, fear
the God of Daniel, because he is a deliverer, and saviour,
and performs miracles in heaven and in earth." The sup
plication being ended, and he looking back, lo, the thrashing
floor, which was cursed by him, and the foolish countryman
above mentioned were set on fire, and altogether consumed.
And in that place, where the thrashing or winnowing floor
was situated, an unseemly fountain arose after the burning,
in memory of divine vengeance, which causing there a small
marsh, hitherto remains in memory of the circumstance.
The docile boy Cacloc, as soon as he returned with the
coals of fire, cast them from his unburnt cloak before the
eyes of his master. This being done, as related, the senior
said to him, " Most dear disciple, chosen servant of God, it
is not lawful for me to teach thee any longer." Having
heard this, the youth of good disposition, fearing lest that
by doing something, he had incurred his indignation, said
with a deep sigh, "How have I made thee angry with me,
for thy wrath has the same effect upon me as fire; I have
never been disobedient to thee, either in word or deed, nor
an accuser, or whisperer among the brethren." And JVIeu-
thi answering him said, " By no means, but as it is read in
the gospel respecting the centurion, who when he requested
Christ to heal his son, said unto him, Lord, I am not worthy
that thou shouldst dwell any longer with me under my roof,
and thou receivest instruction from me, for thy wisdom ex
ceeds my knowledge, and thy innocence is more eminent
than my prudence, and thou art holier than I am, in every
320 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
respect. Therefore with the divine protection, and my
blessing, and the angels accompanying thee, thou wilt pro
ceed prosperously wherever thou dost appoint to go." Then
holy Meuthi after the departure of Cadoc taking into his
consideration the aforesaid sacred fire, which he would not
by any means dare to use, went and hid it as a precious
treasure, burying it in the cemetery. Therefore from that
day, until the time of king Howel, son of Owen king of
Glamorgan,1 the place where the sacred fire had been hid
den by Saint Meuthi was universally known, and also on
all persons, who came there with their cattle that were
affected with various diseases, the divine mercy was accus
tomed to confer healing, until a certain malevolent man
envying the gift of God, bestowed on man by this healing
fire, unhappily by denying the place and fire, destroyed
them that no one thereby should be cured of his disorder.
Afterwards the fire and place have remained hitherto un
known, conferring health on no one.
5. OP THE DEPARTURE OF CADOC FROM HIS MASTER, AND PERMISSION
GIVEN HIM TO PROCEED WITH THE YOUNG PIG.
Therefore Saint Cadoc departed sorrowfully from his oft
before mentioned instructor, and with frequent sighings, di
ligently sought a place appropriate for the worship of God,
nor was he long deprived of his wish. At length he came
to a certain valley covered with thorns and thistles; where
however fatigue obliged him to rest some time, under the
shade of an apple tree, but the hogs there feeding, on seeing
him were affrighted, and at a quick pace fled to the swine
herd. Who when he saw the hogs affected with fear, was
filled with anger, and being excited, he arose, and taking
his spear, searched in all directions for whom or what had
affrighted the hogs. Whence it happened that he came to
1 The mention in this paragraph of Howel ap Owen, king of Morganwg, who died in
the year 1042, gives us a limit before which this legend could not have been written, and
from the way in which he is introduced, it may be inferred that its date must be fixed a
long time after. — W.
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 321
the place where Saint Cadoc prayed, near the roots of the
aforesaid tree; and seeing him, he suspected that he was a
thief, and with upraised right hand, endeavoured to stab
him with the point of his spear. But God seeing the
wickedness of the swineherd from on high, immediately
caused his extended arm to become stiff, so that he could
not draw it to him, nor on the contrary was he able to ex
tend it, and he immediately lost the sight of both his eyes.
So that without doubt the venerable Cadoc by the direction
of God, commendably escaped the dangerous rage of the
furious swineherd.
And the swineherd using lamentable expressions, and as
certaining with his feet, and left hand only, the injury that
had been done to his limbs, knew that Cadoc, whom he de
sired to kill, was a servant of God, and addressed him in a
sorrowful manner, as follows, "I beseech thy piety with
earnest entreaties, that for the ineffable mercy of God,
thou wouldst for me, who suffer from the incorporeal bonds
of divine vengeance, loosen my miserable limbs, and grant to
my blindness the eye-sight that has been taken away." To
these words, Cadoc said, "Thou wilt receive no cure from
God, until thou goest to thy master, namely Poul Pen-
nychen." But he mentioned, " You see, most faithful ser
vant of God, that I am deprived of the sight of both eyes,
and my miserable body is, as it were bound with iron
chains, and therefore I am not able to travel." To whom
Cadoc replied, " Only believe that all things are possible to
God, both in heaven and in earth;" and he answered, "I
believe, Lord." And again the blessed man said to him,
" He who opened the eyes of one born blind, and raised
Lazarus from the grave, wherein he had lain for four days,
will open thine eyes, and in the presence of thy master, and
of those who will be sitting with him, the marrow of all
thy limbs will be instantly restored, and I command thee
that when thou wilt tell thy master those things, which
have been done to thee by God through me, and hast re
ceived the sight of thy eyes, thou wilt salute him for me
322 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
and ask him to come to me, that by sight, and conver
sation I may be deemed worthy to engage his attention;
for he his my uncle." Having heard these things, the blind
and wretched man immediately arose, nothing doubting of
obtaining his cure through the mercy of God ; and his foot
steps being directed by God, he came strait to the residence
of his master, which is called in the British language, Nant
Poul ; and striking the doors with his blind forehead, he
called the porters with a loud voice, and lamentably asked
for an entrance. And the porters beholding him, and hav
ing compassion on him, on account of his calamity, anxiously
enquired how he had lost his sight, and how he came to be
seized with such debility. But he returned no answer, and
kept the matter a secret until he entered the hall of his mas
ter, and while standing, plainly related to him all the things
that had by God, through Saint Cadoc, been done to him;
and having scarcely uttered the words to him, his blindness
was taken away, and his former sight restored; scales like
those of a fish fell from his eyes, and the virtue of genial
strength was restored to his stiffened right hand.
These things being seen and heard, the aforesaid Poul
greatly wondered, and receiving the command of the man
of God, rejoiced with exultation, and thinking that the holy
Cadoc would always prefer temporal glory, and an earthly
kingdom to the service of God, he put on his best clothes,
and with twelve chosen soldiers, and conducted by the afore
said swineherd, went joyfully to the man of God, and found
him praying under the shade of the said apple tree, and not
only he himself, but also all his attendant soldiers alighted
from their horses, fell down at the feet of the blessed Cadoc,
and addressed him with such words as the following, "We
return due thanks to God, and greatly rejoice on account of
thy happy arrival; if thou wilt set aside the service of re
ligion, and promise to take the royal sceptre, as suits thy dig
nity, for the rights of the whole kingdom belong to thee, and
we all will become subject to thy government, because thou
art the principal heir to this kingdom," To which words
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 323
Cadoc said, "The service of divine religion, I will never for
sake for the allurements of the deceitful world, nor will I
prefer earthly to heavenly things, neither will I despise what
is eternal for what is momentary; and a spot for one cot
tage, of all thy territory, Avill be sufficient for me." The
subregulus answered him, "I expected that thou wouldst
have asked for some very large gifts, now thou dost request
the smallest, therefore choose and possess whatever may be
agreeable to thy will and pleasure." To whom the blessed
man uttered these words. " It wearies me to examine the
various places of this desert, and this valley, not a little re
mote from habitations, I choose before all others to dwell
in ; and here I think proper to serve God devoutly with
my fellow soldiers, the clergy. According to what is writ
ten in the Psalms, "Here shall be my resting place for ever;
here will I dwell, because I have chosen it." Things of
this sort having been done, and a dwelling place for the
blessed Cadoc been granted, the aforesaid subregulus re
turned to his own habitation.
The venerable man with his clergy passed the following
night in prayers to God, that he would inform them of a
place to build on for him, and by grubbing up the bushes
to make plain. For in that valley there was no dry place,
it being a watery moor, producing nothing but reeds, and it
was full of various kinds of reptiles and snakes, except what
surrounded a bush, under which a great white boar usually
passed its time ; also in the middle of the said bush, in the
upper part, a swan was accustomed to build its nest every
year. And as the venerable man finished his prayer, lo, an
angel of the Lord appeared in a dream, and said to him,
" Thy prayer has been heard by the Lord ; therefore on ris
ing early in the morning, thou wilt find a place for build
ing an oratory, plain, and made level, and when thou
wilt walk over it, thou wilt see a bristly white old boar
leaping, being affrighted at the noise of thy footsteps; and
there thou mayest lay the foundation of thy church in the
name of the Holy Trinity; afterwards in the place where
324 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
the boar will again stop, thou mayest build a dormitory,
and again, where, in his progress, he will make a third
stopping, there thou mayest construct thy refectory." And
Saint Cadoc rising early in the morning, saw that the rough
and bushy places had, by the direction of God, been made
level, as the angel had mentioned. Therefore the venerable
man came by the angelic command to the aforesaid bush,
in the middle of the cleared valley, and observed a remark
able great boar rising from the sound of his footsteps, and
also a white swan flying away, being driven from its nest by
fear. And the boar stopped its course not far from the
aforesaid thicket, and looked back towards Saint Cadoc, as
if pointing out the place: it then proceeded a little farther,
and again for a little while stopped its progress. Then the
blessed man marked by the fixing of three twigs, the three
stations of the boar; and he built in the first station a re
markable monastery of wooden materials, in the second, a
a refectory and castle, and in the third, a dormitory.
6. HOW THE MAN OF GoD FIRST BUILT A MONASTERY.
After this miracle was made known to all the western
Britons, a great many of the clergy from all parts through
out Britain, flowed eagerly, like a river, to Saint Cadoc,
that they might learn to imitate his wisdom, and his ac
tions, for he always cheerfully received all who were anxi
ously desirous to pay instant obedience to the commands of
God, and gave themselves up to the study of the Holy
Scriptures. Then the holy man undertook to raise up a
large mound of earth, and to make therein a very hand
some cemetery, to be dedicated in honour of God, where
the bodies of the faithful might be buried near to the
church. The mound being completed, and the cemetery
also constructed therein, he made, through impassable
places, four large footpaths across four declivities of the ris
ing grounds, which surrounded his residence, following
literally, and spiritually, the evangelical precept, which
says, "Prepare the way for the Lord, make his paths
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 325
strait." Likewise this man of God, not only by labouring
bodily with his hands, converted uneven, indirect, and rough
ways into good roads, but also converted the hearts of many
which were infected, and perverse with divers errors, to the
right way of the Lord. Likewise he chose another place
for himself, and caused to be raised therein, of the soil of
the earth, another mound in the form of a round city, and
on the mound, to be erected, what in the language of the
Britons is KASTELL CADOC, (THE CASTLE OF CADOC.) For
he thought it proper that he should pass his life, labouring
with his hands, and he dreaded to consume idly the la
bours of another person, hoping through the sufferings of
present exertion, to pass to the glory of eternal rest, according
to what is written in the Psalms, " Labour with thy hands,
for he that eateth," and so forth. And the apostie says,
" Let every one of you labour, working with his hands, that
he may give to those who suffer need." And again, " Let
no one of you eat the bread of idleness ; and he who does
not labour, should not eat." He indeed, although he was
the proprietor of much land, was accustomed to sow his
corn only in one fertile acre, which, in the language of the
inhabitants, was called ERWGWEN, or (THE WHITE ACRE.)
And it was knowrn to all who read or heard the Life of the
pious father Cadoc, that such acre, on account of the bene
diction and sanctity of the man of God, obtained the vene
rable name.
7. How SAINT CADOC SAILED TO IRELAND.
It therefore happened that on a certain day, after a long
space of time, the blessed Cadoc spoke to his disciples after
this manner, saying, " My most dear brethren, I have a very
great desire to sail to Ireland, for the sake of teaching."
And they answering said, '• We know indeed, kind Master,
that thou formest such designs as are pleasing to God, and
according to the will of God; for whatever thou dost ask
of him, thou dost immediately obtain, and thou dost not
contemplate anything that is wicked or perverse, for thou
2T
326 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
knowest that it is better to be constantly meditating on
the Holy Scriptures, according to the Proverbs of the Wise
Man, " Son, acquire learning in thy youth, and thou wilt
find wisdom with thy grey hairs, and it will be to thee as a
father and mother." And afterwards he ordered a strong
boat besmeared with pitch to be prepared for him in the
harbour of the sea, that he might safely sail therein to Ire
land. And some of his disciples being assembled together,
uttered these words, " Lord, wherever thou dost go, we will
follow thee." He saith to them, " Some of you shall go
with me, but others shall here remain to keep faithfully my
monastery and town, until I come back. And it was so
done. Therefore Saint Cadoc sailed over the Irish sea, and
with a seasonable and prosperous course, came to land, and
coming in good time, he employed himself in diligently
searching for the most excellent master of that country, so
that he might by him be more perfectly instructed in the
seven liberal arts; and thirsting eagerly for improvement in
learning, he at length came prosperously to the principal
city of that country, which is called Lismore Muchutu. And
he was graciously received by the most learned master of that
town, and all the clergy there resident; and on account of
his sanctity and humility, they surnamed him with the
name of the principal saint of that city, Muchutu, with
which chief doctor he remained three years, until he suc
ceeded in gaining perfection in the learning of the West.
It is reported that a monastery in honour to Saint Cadoc
was built in that city.
8. How CADOC RETURNED FROM IRELAND.
Three years having passed away, he returned in a very
celebrated manner from Ireland with a large company of
Irish, and British clergy, among whom were the religious
and very learned men, namely Finian Macmoil and Gna-
van, said to be the most celebrated, and skilful of all the
British disciples. From hence, therefore, he came to the
British shore, and withdrew with his dependents into the
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 327
district of Brecknock, for he had heard that a celebrated
rhetorician of the name of Bachan, had come from Italy to
that country. As the blessed Cadoc had heard the fame
of his knowledge, he much wished to be taught Latin by
him after the Roman method. And at that time there was
a great famine in the district of Brecknock. When the holy
man came to the aforesaid dogmatist, Saint Cadoc suppli-
antly asked him, if he would deign to take him to be in
structed; to whom he answered, " My son, I am ready, but I
am very apprehensive lest food for thee, and thy fellow disci
ples should be wanting, and ye should suffer from hunger."
These things being heard, the man of God, having strong con
fidence in the Lord, and urgent in his supplications, watered
his sorrowful cheeks with tears, that he might be provided
with food for them, by the Giver of all things ; wherefore
in the course of that day, it happened that a certain mouse
went out of its hole carrying in its mouth a grain of corn
to the blessed Cadoc, and in a playful manner placed it on
a table before his eyes. The same mouse came and re
turned seven times, and hid as many grains in its heap,
shewing by a sign that the divine mercy was present with
him. At length he caught the same little mouse, and tied
it by the foot, that he might diligently search into the
mystery of the affair ; afterwards he sent for the aforesaid
scholastic, drew out the grain, and related to him minutely
what had been done. Both persons knowing that a miracle
had been made known to them by God, took counsel to
gether, and Cadoc asked and received from a certain widow,
a long and fine thread, which he tied to a foot of the mouse,
and letting it proceed with the loosened thread, he
followed it, until the said little animal came to a certain
mound, under which was a very beautiful subterranean
house, built of old, and full of clean wheat. And^ there it
presently went in, through a dark hole, and soon returned
bringing in its mouth one grain*of corn as before. But
who had built that house, or who had placed there such a
large quantity of corn, is hitherto unknown. But it is most
328 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
certainly known that it was a divine gift granted to the
servant of the Lord, to drive away want from himself, and
from his companions ; which having been seen, Saint Cadoc,
returning to his master and companions, related to them
what he had seen ; and his master spoke to him, as follows,
" By this, I know that thou art a true worshipper of God,
and art strengthened by him in all thy journeys ; wherefore
I the more anxiously desire, with all my heart, that, thou
remain with me for the purpose of reading, so long as it
may please thee." When therefore the servant of God had
heard these words with his ears, he rejoiced not a little,
and said, "If you order, Lord Father, this divine gift to
the poor and hungry, we shall claim the sentence of the
Wise Man, and it shall be deservedly given to us." " He
who hideth corn shall be cursed by the people, and a bless
ing shall be on the head of those who give it." Therefore
while he remained with the aforesaid doctor, he distributed
the corn given to him by God, to all poor persons, giving
to every one in proportion to his poverty. Wherefore as
the fame of this miracle was increasing throughout the
district, the joyful report reached the ears of Brychan, the
grandfather of the blessed Cadoc, with worthy admiration,
who gave to the man of God the part of the field, where
in the corn was found, which is named, Llanspyddid,1 in
which place the man of God built a monastery for himself.
9. OF THE RETURN OF THE BLESSED CADOC TO HIS PRINCIPAL
MONASTERY.
Therefore the blessed Cadoc, when he found himself
sufficiently instructed in the learning of the doctor, commen
ded his oratory to his teacher Bachan, and some of his at
tendants, and returned to his own habitation in his dear
country at Llancarvan. Also another miracle of the same
venerable father is said to have taken place ; for when he
returned to his own town of Llancarvan, from whence he
1 About two miles eastward from Brecknock, where the church is dedicated to St.
Cadoc; which saint however is considered by Professor Rees to be Cadoc, son of
Brychan.— Essay on the Welsh Saints, page 143.
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 329
had been absent for a length of time, he beheld his princi
pal monastery destroyed, and the rafters of the roofs and
rubbish of the building scattered over the cemetery; and
grieving at the ruin, he earnestly desired, with the permis
sion of God, to rebuild it. Therefore he sent for all his clergy
and some workmen, and they all went to a grove for the
purpose of bringing from thence the materials of timber, ex
cepting two youths, namely Finian and Macmoil, who, with
the permission of the man of God, remained that they
might pass the time in reading. Then the steward, the
cook, and sexton coming forwards, scolded them, saying*,
" How long will you be disobedient, without doing any
good with your fellow disciples? disliking to work, ye eat
the bread of idleness ; therefore hasten to the wood, and
bring the timber here quickly with your companions."
But they answering, said, " We are not able to draw
carts after the manner of oxen." But they shewed to
them in derision two stags standing near the wood, and
said as follows, " Lo, two very strong oxen stand near
the wood, go quickly and catch them." And they going,
through their great haste, left a book open in the place
where they sat, in the open air ; and in the name of Christ
they ordered the stags to stop, who immediately set aside
their wildness, and being gently covered, they submitted
their untamed necks to the yoke.
And they brought home, as domestic oxen, a great beam
fastened to their yoke, which four powerful oxen could
scarcely draw, and then being loosened from their yoke
were allowed to return to their pastures. And Saint Cadoc
beholding and greatly admiring what was done, enquired of
them, saying, " Who ordered you to come to me to give
your assistance to draw the timber without being dismissed
from your reading?" And they related to him the reproaches
of the aforesaid three persons railing against them; and he,
being inflamed with anger, inflicted a curse on the afore
said three officials, as follows, " May God do this to them,"
and he added, " that those three persons die by the worst
330 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
death of a sword, or be killed by hunger." In that very
hour, a heavy shower of rain fell throughout the whole
district, and the man of God enquired of the aforesaid disci
ples where they had left the book. And they being afraid
said, " In the place where we were employed in reading it,
being forgetful through great haste, we left it exposed in
the open air." And the man of God went to it, and great
ly wondering, found the book altogether uninjured by the
rain. Therefore that book is called in memory of the
blessed man, in the British language, " Cov Cattwg," that
is, " The Memory of Cadoc." Also, it is reported that a
chapel in honour of Saint Finian was built in the place,
where, amidst showers and storms his book was found dry,
and free from rain. From the aforesaid two stags, who
were yoked after the manner of oxen, and drew the cart,
the principal town of Saint Cadoc received from the an
cient British inhabitants, the name Nantcarvan, that is the
Valley of Stags, whence Nantcarban, that is, from a Valley
and a Stag.
10. How SAINT DAVID, BY THE COMMAND OP AN ANGEL, ASSEMBLED
A SYNOD.
In that time, wherein these things were done, Saint
David, a true confessor of God, and a chief Bishop, shone
with great virtues in Britain ; to whom an angel sent from
God said, " Arise, be not slow, and constitute a synod by
assembling all the clergy, and elders, and aged persons."
To whom, the blessed David said, " I am ready, at thy
orders, to perform, if I were worthy, whatever is pleasing to
the Lord, but there is one descended from the nobility of
Britain, who is more worthy by birth, more distinguished
for sanctity, more sagacious in understanding, and more
skilful in discourse for assembling a synod, whose name is
Cadoc, and he dwells at Glywysig, without whose leave, and
consent, I will not by any means presume to undertake so
great an affair." To whom the angel said, " Obey my com
mands, in the smallest matter, nor fear him in any respect,
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 331
for he will not stand in thy way at all in this matter, as he
is at present gone a great way off, and according to what the
angel has said, let both be accomplished." Cadoc indeed had
undertaken a journey, and David after his departure assem
bled a large synod in the city of Brevi.
12. OF THE PEREGRINATION OF THE MAN OF GOD, AND THE CONCEPTION
OF A BARREN QUEEN THROUGH HIS PRAYERS.
Therefore Saint Cadoc went forwards without money
and satchel, having perfect confidence in God, who says,
" I say unto you, take no thought for your life, saying
what shall we eat, and what shall we drink, neither for
your body, what ye shall put on." And again, " Seek ye
first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all
these things shall be added unto you," and so forth. The
venerable man went forwards, and he was kindly received
by all wherever he came. Shortly afterwards he went from
thence by sea, and favourable breezes of wind swelling the
sails, he landed in the islands of Grimbul. And there he
went up to a certain city of that country, where a very rich
king resided, whose wife was barren, whom he very much
irritated by finding fault with her, saying, " Depart from
me, because thou art not worthy of a conjugal husband, for
thy womb is cursed by the Lord, since thou bearest not
fruit on the earth." The queen hearing that saint Cadoc
had come to the city, quickly met him in his walks, and
mournfully besought his kindness, saying, " I beseech thee,
most faithful servant of God, that thou wilt deign to inter
cede with the Lord for me, thy miserable servant, for I am
affected with the disgrace of barrenness, as with some griev
ous disease." And the common people, admiring, followed
him as he went on, and all of them, as if with one mouth,
earnestly besought the man of God for her. And the
blessed Cadoc said to her, "Go in peace, the Lord will
grant thee thy petition, in what thou askest for." But she
added, "I wish that thy servant may find grace in thy eyes;
if I should have either a son, or a daughter, I will give him
332 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
up to the service of the Lord all his days, and will consign
him to thy protection. Therefore the king knew his wife
in that night, and the Lord remembered her, and she con
ceived, and afterwards at length brought forth a son, whom
she called by the name Elli.1
From thence the beloved Cadoc went into Greece, and at
length came to Jerusalem ; where Christ was born, suffered,
was buried, arose from the dead, and ascended into heaven.
And, as it is most truly reported, a knowledge of the lan
guages of those nations through which, in going and return
ing, he passed, was given him by the Lord, and he spake in
various tongues like to the primitive church of disciples in
the time of Christ. On a certain day, while he was walk
ing about the church of the Lord, he saw in the cemetery,
three very beautiful stones which were fit for the perfor
mance of the service of Christ, namely very suitable for an
altar, and he said, " I wish that these three very elegant
stones, would by the direction of God, and flying after the
manner birds, be removed to my dear monastery." After
a space of three years, he returned to the aforesaid islands,
and there found the boy Elli, whom the aforesaid barren
queen, after his absence, the time intervening, had brought
forth. Pious Cadoc therefore received him, and carried him
on his own shoulders, and protecting him from all injuries,
educated and instructed him ; for he greatly loved him, and
with more than the love of a father and mother, because his
mother had devoted him to God, and had given him to be
protected by him, when indeed he was chosen a servant of
God.
12. OF A CERTAIN LIFE-GUARDSMAN, WHO DISAPPEARED LIKE SMOKE
BEFORE THE FACE OF CADOC.
A certain malicious sergeant lived in the town of Gwyn-
llwg, a relative of the pious Cadoc, who, during his peregri-
1 The Achau y Saint, published in the lolo MSS. mention a Saint of the name of Elli,
in Brycheiniog, whose commemoration is on the 23rd of February.
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 333
nation, through envy, slew his cousin Cynvelyn. And when
he discovered that the memorable man had returned, he was
seized with great fear, and quickly fled from his presence ;
afterwards as the holy man followed him, he vanished before
his eyes, by the direction of God, as dust or smoke before
the wind. Thou wast present, O Christ, exercising the power
of thy majesty, who every where dost exalt the humble
that believe in thee, as it is written, "The friends of God
are greatly honoured."
Moreover, after the man of God had returned to his mo
nastery, he beheld the three wished for stones, which he
had before so much desired at Jerusalem to be carried to
his church, and had prayed devoutly that they might be in
his monastery, become three altars, one of which he gave
to Elli, another to Macmoil, but the third he kept to
himself.
13. OF THE ROBBERS SWALLOWED UP BY THE EARTH.
To this miracle, the divine power performed another not
unlike it, to declare the merits of the blessed man. There
was a certain general named Sawyl, living not far from the
monastery, who, full of wicked desires, came with his ac
complices, to his habitation, and took by force from thence
meat and drink, and his attendants, as well as himself, eat
and drank by turns ; and the clergy sighing on account of
such disgrace, entered the church, which occasionally was
deprived of the presence of the man of God, and devoutly
requested from the Lord, the castigation of the invaders.
And when they wept with great lamentation, the holy man
came unexpectedly, and enquired of them the cause of so
much sorrow, to whom relating the occasion, he spoke with
a confident countenancce, " Have patience, for patience is the
mother of all virtues, suffer them to load their hearts with
surfeiting and drunkenness, and being drunk, they will also
fall asleep, and while they are sleeping, shave off with very
sharp razors the half part of their beard and hair, to their
very great disgrace, and also in like manner, cut off the lips
2 u
334 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
and ears of their horses;" and they did as they were ordered.
Then the wicked robbers having digested in their sleep a little
of the superfluity of food, at length awoke, and stupid from
their excessive drinking, mount their horses, and commence
their journey as soon as they could. Then the man of God
said to his clergy, " Let every one of you put on his cloth
ing and shoes, and go to meet your enemy, for otherwise
you will be killed, for he will return and slay us, from the
greatest to the least, with the sword, when he will discover
that they were derided by us." Each person therefore put
on his clothes, and Saint Cadoc likewise was clothed with
his garment, and nearly fifty clergymen followed him, to
meet the destructive tyrant with songs, and hymns, and
psalms. And when they ascended a certain mound, Sawyl
Penuchel1 and his attendants came down to meet them.
Then before the eyes of the servant of God, the earth
opened its mouth, and swallowed up the tyrant with his
companions alive, on account of their wickedness, lest they
might cruelly slay the man of God, and his clergy. And
the ditch, where thy were swallowed up, is known unto this
day by all persons there passing; which always remaining
open in testimony of this thing, is not allowed to be filled
up by any one.
And Cadoc of good memory, and his clergy returned to
their own residence with great triumph, glorifying God, and
singing the Ambrosian hymn, " Te Deum laudamus," and
what follows to the end. These things having been per
formed, the blessed Cadoc, his brethren being present,
blessed them in the following manner, saying, " Blessed are
ye in the Lord, and this blessed discourse and your counsel
will give this privilege and prerogative in the Lord to you
twelve barbers, designating the typical number of the twelve
apostles, and all the rest holding your turn in this town to
posterity. If judgment, and useful counsel be wanting in
1 Sawyl Penuchel was son of Pabo Post Prydain, and father of Saint Asaph. His
name is generally included among the Welsh Saints.
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 335
all the courts, let it be found here amongst you; if twelve
appointed wise men should be wanting, let the counsel
of twelve irregular clergy be had; if twelve clergymen
should not be present, then let judgment and advice be
permitted to twelve young boys, virgins, and undefiled
women.
14. OF THE INDULGENCE TO SAINT DAVID FOR ASSEMBLING
THE SYNOD.
Some of the disciples of the blessed man being assembled
together, spoke to each other, " Which of us will under
take to relate to our master, the things that were done in
Britain by Saint David whilst he travelled abroad?" To
this they were all silent, nor would any one presume to
mention the matter to him; they cast lots therefore in this
business, and the lot fell upon Finnian. Therefore Saint
Finnian arose in the midst of the brethren with great tre
pidation, and placing himself at the feet of the man of God,
devoutly begged that he would not be angry with him,
and he related how an universal synod had been assembled
by Saint David whilst he travelled abroad. Which thing
greatly displeased him, and he became very angry with
Saint David for inflicting such disgrace, and he passed a
day and night in fasting. Also in the same night, an angel
of the Lord came to him, and spoke as follows, "I beseech
thee not to be angry with thy brother," for it is read in the
epistle of John, " He who hateth his brother is a murderer,"
for the irregularity of this business was allowed to blessed
David by angelic intervention ; wherefore the angel said in
addition, "Because thou hast obeyed my voice, and at my
intreaty hast forgiven what was committed against thee, the
Lord my God will deliver thy castle full of the souls of
men from eternal punishment, in the day of judgment; and
as many shaggy hairs as are in thy cloak, a kind of garment,
which the Irish wear out of doors, full of prominent shaggy
hairs, wove into a kind of plush, so many men will be deliver
ed by thee from eternal punishment. And also on every sab-
336 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
bath, from this night for ever, one soul will be liberated
from eternal torments for thy love; and all thy familiar
friends who will die in this place, will be free from infernal
punishment; and what is more, whatever thou dost request of
God, will be granted." Then blessed Cadoc, rejoicing, arose
in the town, and mentioned the angelic promises to his dis
ciples, saying, "Ye boys, praise the Lord, praise the name
of the Lord, for his mercy is confirmed to us, and the truth
of the Lord will remain for ever."
15. OF THE MANSION OF SAINT CADOC IN THE TIME OF LENT.
In the days of Lent, Saint Cadoc was accustomed to re
side in two islands, Barren and Echni.1 On Palm Sunday,
he came to Nantcarvan, and there remained, performing
Paschal service, feeding daily one hundred clergymen, and
one hundred soldiers, and one hundred workmen, and one
hundred poor persons, with the same number of widows.
This was the number of his family, besides serving attend-
ants'and esquires and well-dressed guests, the number of
which was uncertain, a multitude of whom frequently came
to him. Nor is it to be wondered at, for being rich he
was able to feed so many, being an Abbot and a Prince
over the territory of his progenitor; from Fynnon Hen,2 that
is, from the Old Fountain, as far as the mouth of the river
Rhymny; and he possessed all the territory from the river
Gulich3 to the river Nadauan,3 from Pentyrch direct to the
valley of Nantcarvan: and from that valley to the Gurimi,4
that is the Lesser Rhymny, towards the sea.
1 Barry island, and the Flat Holmes, in the Bristol Channel.
a Presuming Fynnon Hen to have been somewhere near the river Usk, the boundaries
of Cadoc's patrimonial inheritance agrees with the prescribed limits of Glywysig, see
page 309.
a The rivers Golych and Dawon, or Daw, in Glamorganshire ; the former falls into
the latter, which empties itself into the British Channel at Aberthaw.
4 Gwy Rymi, probably the stream which runs near Cadoxton juxta Barry, and falls
into the Bristol Channel, near Barry island.
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 337
16. HOW THE EARTH SWALLOWED UP THE ROBBERS ALIVE ; AND OP THE
CONVERSION OF SAINT ILTUTUS.1
On a certain day, when Saint Cadoc sat in his chair
teaching the people, fifty of the soldiers of a certain regulus,
namely Poul with the surname of Penychen, who with hawks
catched birds, came to take food from him whether he would
or no; to whom, it is said, he ordered twenty wheaten
loaves to be given, and a tierce that is a vessel, full of ale,
and a fat grazing sow. All these being taken, and carried
off by them to the field of Meditullium, which is called
Medgard, not far from the town, and there deposited, they
sat down about the tierce of ale, in order and in the form
of a circle surrounding it; and having cut up the pig into
small pieces, they carefully prepared them to dinner. There
was a certain military officer in that warfare, named Illtyd,
who was absent when they committed the crime, but
they would by no means presume to dine before his return.
Therefore while they waited for him, and abstained on that
account from the prepared food, lo, Illtyd came suddenly ;
but before he alighted from his horse, the ground unex
pectedly broke under them, and in the twinkling of an eye,
they were overwhelmed in a deep abyss, according to what
David has mentioned, " The earth opened its mouth, and
swallowed Dathan, and covered the congregation of Abi-
ram." But the food and the tierce of beer which I have
mentioned, were carried by a divine miracle to a certain
mound, and it was settled that they should remain un
touched and undefiled.
The aforesaid Illtyd beholding these things with his own
eyes, hastened his chariot, and falling down at the feet of
the blessed Cadoc, mentioned how the divine vengeance had
destroyed his companions, that is the guards of the afore
said regulus, for the injury they had done to him. Also
1 Saint Illtyd, was certainly contemporary with Cadoc ap Gwynlliw, although the
Welsh accounts of him would lead one to suppose that he lived half a century earlier, as
he is made to appear as the nephew or great nephew of Saint Germanus, bishop of Aux-
crre.— W.
338 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
the same officer besought the man of God, with earnest en
treaties, in the name of the divine majesty, that he would
grant to him the monastic habit, and would intimate the
same by giving him the marks of service, as the shaving of
his hair and beard. Then he complying with his entreaties,
the said officer, leaving his earthly warfare, and renouncing
altogether secular weapons, and paying obedience to divine
ordinances, gave himself up to observe with all his might
the doctrines of his master. Whence it is said, " The earth
has covered them, never to return to the world." Illtyd
believed such acts as he had seen; he who had been a vic
torious soldier through many cities, changed his warfare for
obtaining the highest crown, being made a monk, he pro
fited in various ways. Therefore the man of the Lord sent
some young men, who brought the aforesaid meat and drink,
and therewith satisfied as many poor persons as there were
of robbers, who had been before disagreeably disappointed.
17. OF AN ARCHITECT BEING RAISED FROM THE DEAD BY SAINT
CADOC.
Also, at another time, when the blessed Cadoc again de
parted from thence, being desirous to exhibit elsewhere a ser
vice devoted to God, came by the divine direction to a certain
city placed near a great river, which is called Neath, and
beholding the place, presently gave orders that a house of
prayer should be there built for him. Workmen to the
number of twelve proceeding to the wood, for the purpose
of felling timber for building the oratory, informed the
whole country what was going on. Wherefore it happened
that a certain Irishman, named Linguri, a stranger, but a
skilful architect, being forced by poverty, came to him with
his children, that by the practice of his skill, he might pro
cure food for himself and family, and he was gladly received
by the man of God, and engaging in the work, with twelve
workmen, very soon excelled them all in skill and ability.
But the other twelve envying him, wickedly killed him;
and cutting off his head, they fastened a great stone to the
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 339
trunk of his body, and cast it into a deep pool. When they,
according to custom returned home, the sons of the skilful
person not seeing their father as usual, wept with lamen
table expressions. And when the man of God heard the
wailing, he quickly enquired the cause of such mournful
lamentation.
The workmen thereupon being quickly called together,
excused themselves with all their might, and with much
cavilling asserted that they did not know what had become
of the aforesaid architect. Therefore the man of God in
order to be informed of their wickedness, passed the night
with all his clergy in watching and prayer, that therein the
truth of the matter might be declared to them. In the
morning when prayers were ended, lo, the beheaded archi
tect, carrying his head in his bosom, and a large stone on
his back, and wet and bloody, with a woeful and horrid
countenance, appeared to the venerable man, and his disci
ples. Wonderful to be said, but easily to be effected by
God, the head which had been cut off spoke as follows : —
" Servant of God, fix me on the neck, in the former state,
and I will relate to thee every thing concerning this matter,
which hitherto are unknown to thee." And he did as re
quested. And the murdered architect, Linguri, related to
him the dreadful crime of the aforesaid twelve workmen,
and how that being excited by envy, they had villainously
slain him. To whom he said in answer, " Choose which you
wish to have of these two things, whether to live again in this
mortal state, and become a future dead body, or to return
to eternal life to reign for ever with God." And he said,
"Sir, that my soul may return to eternal life." And
while he yet spoke, he expired. Therefore the holy
man ordered his disciples to place the aforesaid stone, which
the murdered architect had carried on his back, upright
in the earth, near the wood, in memory of the miracle, and
to bury him there nigh to it, and directed that all the
township should be called after his name Lanlynguri.1 Also
1 Probablv Glvnleiros near jSTeath.
340 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
by this stone, the Lord cures those who cannot hold their
urine, and are afflicted with divers kinds of diseases, for the
love of Saint Cadoc and Lynguri, to this very day.
18. OF THE DISPUTE BETWEEN SAINT CADOC AND KING ARTHUR,
RESPECTING THE RECONCILIATION OF A CERTAIN PERSON.
Therefore at that time, a certain brave general of the Bri
tons, named Ligessawc1 the son of Eliman, who had also the
surname of Lawhir, that is Long Hand, slew three soldiers
of Arthur, the most illustrious king of Britain; and Arthur
pursuing him every where, he found no safe place, and no
one ventured to protect him for fear of the aforesaid king ;
until at length being wearied by very frequent flights, he
came a fugitive to the man of God. Who commiserating
his labours kindly received him, trusting in the Lord, and
not fearing Arthur, according to our Lord's command,
" Fear not those who kill the body, and cannot kill the
soul, but rather fear him who can kill both body and soul
in hell." Therefore he remained with him safe in the
country of Gwynllwg, without the knowledge of Arthur, for
seven years. Which being passed, he wras betrayed to the
said king, and the same at last came with a large force of
soldiers to the river Usk, for the sake of pleading in a trial
at law, for he dared not to contend with violence against
the man of God. Therefore he sent ambassadors to the
king, and enquired of him if he would refer the dispute to
the verdict of skilful judges. And he acquiesced, for Saint
Cadoc having sent for three principal persons from divers
parts of the country, namely David and Teilo and Dochu,2
and also Keneder3 and Maidoc,4 with many other clergymen,
and senior judges of all Britain, who, assembling on the
1 Ligessawc son of Eliman, may perhaps be the Llyngessog of the Liber Landavensis,
p. 391, living in the time of Saint Oudoceus.
3 Saint Oudoceus, afterwards Bishop of Llandaff.
a Probably Saint Cynidr, a grandson, or great grandson of Brychan; and founder
of the churches of Llangynidr and Aberyscir, in Brecknockshire.
4Aeddan Foeddog, — Saint Aidus. See his life and that of Saint David; also Pro
fessor Rees's Welsh Saints, p. 227, and the Liber Landavensis, p. 337.
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 341
banks of the great river Usk, met together, he preceding
them. There also, after the manner of enemies, they dis
puted the matter with bitter words, from both sides of the
river, and contended for a length of time against each
other. After an intermission in the altercation, the more
skilful of some of the judges decreed that Arthur ought to
receive for the redemption of every one of his men, who was
slain, three very good oxen. Others however fixed that one
hundred cows should be given as the price of every person
who had been killed ; for from ancient times the judgment
among the Britons was of this kind, and the price was ap
pointed by the ministers of kings and generals. This being
accepted, Arthur, in an insolent manner, refused cows of one
colour, but would have those of two colours, viz: — with the
fore part red, and the hind part white, and required those
so distinguished by colour, with much wrangling. And they,
being altogether ignorant where cattle of that colour were
to be found, were in doubt what they should do respecting
them. Therefore the man of God, in the name of three
persons, ordered young men of the company, to the number
of nine, or more as some say, to bring to him one hundred
heifers, of whatever colour they might be. And when the said
animals were brought before his eyes and those of other
servants of God, they were, on account of the pre verse desire
of Arthur, immediately turned into the aforesaid colours.
And the company of all the clergy, and many other
faithful worshippers of God, who had been assembled by
the blessed man, beholding this miracle, greatly rejoiced,
and glorified God. Moreover the man of God consulted
what ought justly to be done respecting the aforesaid
cattle, and an answer was given from one of the sides of
the company of judges, " It is right that thou shouldest
drive them in a flock to the middle of the ford." Therefore
he drove them until Arthur Kai and Bedwyr with others
sitting on the banks of the river met them ; and Kai and
Bedwyr, greatly desiring to have them, drew them by their
horns with their hands to the river's side; but immediately,
342 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
whilst they were in their hands, they were by the direction of
changed into bundles of fern. Which miracle being seen God
by Arthur, he humbly intreated the blessed man that the
injury which he had inflicted on him should be forgiven
him. And pardon for the offence was granted to him, ac
cording to the evangelical precept, " Forgive and ye shall
be forgiven."
Therefore the aforesaid king, having entered into counsel
with his army, granted him his refuge for seven years, and
for as many months, and for the same number of days.
If any stranger therefore in some appointed time, should
leave the town of Cadoc, desiring greatly to depart and
sail to some distant part of the world, and by chance
through the force of storms, or by contrary winds in a tem
pest, be driven to his harbour that is barren, and again re
turn to his former refuge or place, according to the tradi
tion of the elders, he is to be attended with service, and
readily received to the last term of his life. This, Arthur,
and all his generals with all the elders of Britain corrobo
rating it, said, " We also, in the hearing of you all, bear
witness to the words of this decree, whoever will trans
gress them, may God add to him all the plagues written in
the old and new law, and may his name be blotted from
the book of life. But whoever will keep them, may he be
filled with all the blessings of the old and new Testament, and
may they descend and remain upon him, and also may his
soul be settled in eternal glory." The council being finished,
all the cows which had been changed into bundles of fern,
were found safe in the stalls of their owners. And from that
day, the place is called in the British language, Trefredinauc,
The Town of Fern. All persons returning peaceably from
the trial, Saint Cadoc gave three villages to the said no
bles, one to David, another to Teilo, and the third to Doc-
guinnus. The names of which villages, and of their posses
sors, are as follow : — to the blessed David he gave Llan-
dewi Penybei; to Teilo Merthyr Teemed; and to Dogu-
uinnus Landubrguir.
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 343
19. OF THE REVENGE ON THE KING OF NORTH WALES FOR THE
INJURY DONE TO THE MAN OF GOD.
Also another miracle, known to all the Britons residing
in those parts, is ascribed to the same holy patron. In those
days, a certain king, of the name of Maelgon,1 reigned over
all Britain, who sent some of his young men to the region
of Gwynllwg, that they might there receive tribute. Who
coming to the house of the steward of Cadoc, seized his
very beautiful daughter, and took her away with them.
And the men of Gwynllwg assembling together, pursued
them, and killing some, and wounding many more, the rest
escaped to their master. Which being done, the aforesaid
king became greatly excited with anger, and collecting his
troops, they formed a camp in the district of Gwynllwg, near
a fountain, which, in their language, is called Ffynon Brit-
trou ; that they might, on the following day, plunder all the
country. Which being heard, the inhabitants of Gwynllwg
were much frightened, and related the matter to the man
of God, as follows, " Maelgon, king of North Wales, has
come to our borders with his troops, and to-night he re
mains with his army nigh to the Brittrou fountain ; and to
morrow he will lay waste all your territory, and all the
males will he furiously slay. Therefore assist us, who are
feeble miserable and unarmed, by making peace with the
cruel king, for otherwise we shall die.
Those words being heard, the man of God said to the
messenger, "Proceed quickly, and we will follow thee."
And he, with three clergymen, followed the messenger by
night, until they came to Gwynllwg, and the inhabitants of
that district being affected with hostile fear, met them, and
with great lamentation, besought him, saying, " Lord, assist
us, and by thy great clemency, deliver us, because whatever
thou dost request of the Lord thou dost obtain." He
1 Maelgon, or Maelgwn Gwynedd, died about the year 560, of the yellow plague. He
was therefore contemporary with St. David, Teilo, Oudoceus, Gildas, and Cadoc.
344 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
answered them, " Be ye comforted in the Lord, and be firm
and not afraid ; let us act well towards God, and he will
reduce our enemies to nothing." Then Saint Cadoc, having
great confidence in God, departed from thence, and near
the camp of his enemies, prayed apart, his disciples being a
short distance from him. When morning came, he arose
from prayer, and lo, a pillar of a cloud preceded him,
which also covering all the tents, and troops of the afore
said king, hid them, and the day was as a dark night to them,
so that no one was able to see another. Then in the mid
dle of the darkness, the holy man appeared before the
tent of the king, and saluting him, said, " God save you, O
king. I beseech thee, if I have found favour in thy eyes
that thou wilt kindly hear my words." To whom the king
said, "I am ready, speak on," and he said, "Why hast
thou come to my country, with an armed force for the
purpose of plundering and destroying, and especially as
we by no means deserved it?" To this the king said,
" I confess that I have sinned against thee, but I the more
earnestly beseech thy holiness, that thou wilt be merciful
to me for what has been done, and wilt forgive it to me,
and that by thy intervention, the darkness may depart,
whereby we may return uninjured to our own habitations,
and all thy country remain in constant peace." The man
of God answered, "Thy very great crimes are forgiven
thee." And while he was speaking, the light of summer,
spread all around, and instantly shone with brightness on the
camp. When therefore the king saw this miracle, he arose
from his royal chair and he fell on his face and said, "I affirm
and ratify the refuge which Arthur, the bravest of heroes,
bestowed upon thee, and whoever of my offspring will ab
breviate it, may he be cursed, and whoever will observe it,
may he be blessed; and to-day I choose thee before all others
to be my confessor among South Wales men. And so it
was done. And every one returned peaceably to his own
country.
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 345
2.0 OF THE BLINDING OF KING RHUN, FOR THE INJURY DONE
TO SAINT CADOC.
In the course of some years afterwards, Rhun son of the
aforenamed king Maelgon, came from the North, with a
numerous army of North Wales men, on an expedition,
that he might rob the southern Britons of their possessions
and riches, and utterly ravage the country. And the army
being assembled in the sight of Maelgon, he strictly order
ed the aforesaid Rhun his son, and all the troops of the
expedition, not to inflict any injury on Saint Cadoc, because
he was his confessor, nor take from his territory one small
horned beast without his consent. "And this," said he,
" will be a sign to you ; when you come to the land of his
country, ye will find his cattle freely feeding in the pastures,
and the men depending on our friendship, confident and
not frightened, and therefore let them be entirely free from
suffering anything from war, since I and their master are
connected by a familiar and spiritual covenant. Then they
promised with an oath to observe this command of the
king. When they came to the country of Gorwenydd, they
formed a camp in Caer Trigued, which when the men of
Gorwenydd saw, being affrighted they fled from them, and
hid themselves in woods, and thickets, and dens, and caves
of the earth. And the inhabitants of Penychen, which
were beyond the river Nadawan, and all the people of the
of the country submitted. When they drove much plun
der to the camp, twelve esquires rode the horses from
the flocks of the king to give them water. And when
they had given water to their horses, they themselves
being thirsty and not able to drink the warm water of the
spring, said to each other, " Let us ride to the barn of Ca
doc, which was reported to be at that time in the farm of
1 Rhun, son of Maelgon Gwynedd, is noticed in the Welsh Triads as one of the three
fair and golden-banded princes of the isle of Britain; but the character given of him in
the Romance of Taliesin is not a very fovourable one. See Lady Charlotte Guest's Mabi-
nogion, Vol. III. The plundering expeditions of Rhun and his father, here recorded,
are likely enough to have been founded in fact, and are quite in keeping with the charac
ter of the chieftains of those days.
346 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
the cowherd, that we may have a sufficiency of milk to
drink, for there is always plenty to be had at that place."
The twelve persons went there quickly, and addressing
the steward roughly, asked him to give them some milk to
drink ; who being angry refused to give them any, saying,
"Are not ye silly, thinking that our master is not a man of
great honour and dignity, for he has a family of the number
of three hundred persons, that is, one hundred clergymen,
and as many soldiers, and the same number of workmen,
besides women and children." Then being angry, they rose
in a great fury, and taking firebrands in their hands, and
mounting their horses, endeavoured to put the barn on fire;
but through the power of God, it would not burn, but only
smoked. At that very time, the aforesaid Rhun was in his
tent playing at dice with his eunuchs, and the smoke, like
a wooden post, went from the barn of Saint Cadoc in a di
rect course to his tent, and deprived of eye-sight all who
were at the place. But the king, ashamed to mention what
had taken place, exhorted the eunuchs to play, " Play," said
he ; but they answered, " With our eyes open, we cannot
see anything." Then at last, the king confessed that the
same had also happened to him. Having called to him all
the generals and the nobles, and the knights, he enquired
whether it so happened that any one of their companions
had inflicted any disgrace on the blessed man.
But they altogether denied the crime; then said the king,
" Make diligent enquiry in the camp, whether any of your
companions have been absent to day." And when they
made the enquiry, they found that twelve esquires had been
absent, who being brought forward, the king said to them,
:< Where have you been absent to-day, and what bad thing
have ye done? mention every particular, for it is manifest to
us that ye have to-day committed a great crime." Then
his esquires told him the truth. And without delay, he
caused Saint Cadoc to come to him; to whom he said,
"Blessed art thou by the Lord, thy entrance has been
peaceable, and I have sinned against God, and before thee."
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 347
And he said, " Mention what thou hast done." And he re
lated the matter, as follows, " Some of my attendants at
tacked thy granary, or barn, to set it on fire without my
knowledge, on which account, I know that this misfortune
of blindness has happened to us, therefore I humbly implore
thy benignity that thou wilt be indulgent to me in my mi
serable state, so that our blindness may be taken away, and
clearness of sight, through thy intercession, may be restored
to our eyes." On Saint Cadoc praying, they received their
former eyesight; which having taken place, the king in
creased his refuge, as pious Arthur and the father of the
aforesaid Rhun had constituted it, confirming it, and declar
ing the sentence for not observing it. "If any one," said he,
" will break this refuge, let him be excommunicated, but
whoever will keep it, may he be loved by God and man."
The king having said these words, gave to him his own
messenger with complete horse accoutrements and three
principal articles of armour, namely, a shield, a sword, and a
spear, and all things that he brought with him, besides
what were necessary for his sustenance, which he reserved.
These things having been accomplished, they returned to
their respective habitations. The blessed Cadoc gave the
sword which had been presented to him by king Rhun
to Gwrgan Varius,1 who then reigned in Glamorgan,
with half part of the fish of the river Usk, that he might
have seven of them for food during Lent at Llancarvan.
Also he gave the horse with all his trappings to the king
for one half the fish of the river Neath, so that he might
have at Llanmaes during every Lent both boiled and roast
food and provisions. He was also possessor of two wooden
horses, so very swift that no man could equal them in speed
1 This name has thus been left untranslated, although the Welsh rendering of the same
would be Gwrgan Frych, {the Freckled ;) but according to the lolo MSS. the only king
of that name, who reigned in Glamorgan, lived several generations prior to the era of
Saint Cadoc; it may therefore be presumed that there has been some error in transcribing
the above name. There was, however, a regulus in South Wales, called Gwrgan Mawr,
who was contemporary with Saint Cadoc, see Liber Landavensis, page 354, but his do
minions are not defined, although he is mentioned as contemporary with Tewdrig ap
Teithfallt, kiug of Glamorgan, and was father of Onbrawst wife of Meurig ap Tewdrig.
348 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
in travelling ; on which his servant brought to him neces
saries from all parts. And it was a day's journey for the
wooden horses in going and returning from Llancarvan to
Neath and Brycheiniog.
21. OF THE DELIVERANCE OF KING RHUN FROM THE HANDS OF THE
MEN OF GWYNLLWG.
The third miracle which God did by Saint Cadoc, in tes
timony of the written refuge of his son-in-law at Gwynllwg,
Rhun, the son of Brychan, uncle of the same, going from his
territories, plundered and laid waste the province of Gwyn
llwg as far as the sea. Therefore the men of Gwynllwg
rose against his army, and put him to flight, and defeated
his men at the place called Pwll Rhun, and at Pwll Rudd
and Lithion and Pwll Gweddillion, which places received
their names from them. The aforesaid Rhun was besieged
by the men of Gwynllwg, for they altogether dared not to
kill the uncle of their master without his orders. Therefore
the blessed Cadoc came, and delivered the aforesaid Rhun
from being beseiged, and he received from him a confession
of his crimes, and a confirmation of the refuge, which pious
Maelgon and Arthur had granted and ratified to him. And
Rhun said as follows, " For the future, since thou hast deli
vered me," he said, " may every person born in my nation,
who shall not obey the men of Gwynllwg, and break the
covenant which I have made with Saint Cadoc, be cursed."
Therefore Saint Cadoc prayed to the Lord, that he would
give him a king, who for him should govern his kingdom;
and Meurig, son of Enhinti, was given to him; and he gave
to him his sweetheart, named Debunn, with all the country.
Therefore Saint Cadoc went out to meet him; and receiving
Gwynllwg, he blessed them, and commanded that they
should keep his refuge, according to the agreement which
had been previously made with Maelgon and Arthur; and
Meurig undertook to observe this agreement before these
witnesses ; of the clergy, David, Kenedir, Eliud, (Teilo,) 111-
tyd, Maidoc, Cannou, and many others. And blessed Cadoc
commended Meurig, saying, " Patronize my country and in-
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 349
heritance of Gwynllwg, and let it free from all fiscal tribute,
except that the men shall go with thee in the army to battle
three days, and three nights, and if they shall be longer
with thee, thou shalt give them provisions." And Meurig
said, "May it be so for ever." And the man of God
added, " Blessed be he who will keep the substance of this
agreement; and whoever will not observe it, may he be
cursed by God, and all his saints;" and all the clergy said,
"AMEN."
22. OF THE JOURNEY OF SAINT CADOC INTO SCOTLAND, AND THE MIRACLES
THERE PERFORMED BY HIM.
Again, another miracle worthy of being recorded, divine
authority deigned to perform for the praise of his name, and
the glory of his faithful servant Cadoc. On a certain day,
he spoke to his disciples who were assembled together, as
follows, " Since by divine direction, I have for the love of
God gone thrice to Jerusalem, and seven times to Rome,
it now remains that I should go to the church of Saint An
drew the apostle, which is known to have been built in
Albania, which is commonly called Scotland; wherefore, I
appoint for you, in my place, the rector and prelate Elli,
my pupil, whom we know to be constantly attentive from
his infancy to obey divine ordinances, and to be well skilled
in evangelical doctrines; to whose instructions in those things
attend with diligence to the best of your ability." And they
said, " Whatever may please thee, we will willingly agree
to." Then the man of God arose, and went with three of
his disciples to Scotland, and proceeded to the aforesaid
church of Saint Andrew ; and whilst he was returning, and
had come to a certain city, which is near to the mountain
Bannawc, and said to be situated in the middle of Scotland,
in that night while there was a pause, an angel of the Lord
appeared to him in a dream, saying, " The Lord thy God
orders thee through me, not to depart hence, but rather
that thou remain here for the space of seven years for the
purpose of converting the people in this place to faith in
2 Y
350 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
the Lord. The man of God here remained the appointed
time, teaching the heathen people, and curing all the
diseased.
On a certain day, when Cadoc was digging the ground
about his constructed monastery, he found a collar bone of
some ancient hero, of incredible size, through which, wonder
ful to be said, a champion might ride without inconvenience.
Which being found, Saint Cadoc wondering, said, "I will
not go for either meat or drink, but I shall pray for meat,
and shed tears for drink, until this wonderful thing, what
ever it may be, is explained to us." And in the same night,
the voice of an angel from heaven addressed him saying,
"Lo the entreaty of thy prayer is acceptable to the ears of
the Lord; for what thou hast humbly requested of God, he
will grant to thee; but do thou encourage thy clergy, and
the rest of the people with words, lest they should be
affrighted, if any thing happen to them. For to-morrow,
an old giant will arise in the first hour of the day, who
may assist the men in digging." Having heard these
things, when he rose in the morning, he related to the
people what the angel had mentioned. And while he was
yet speaking to the people, there appeared to them a hor
rible revived and immense giant, altogether exceeding the
human form in size.
Which having been seen, the inhabitants of the town be
ing terrified, said, "Lo, a phantom transfigured into the
form of a man, is come to seduce us." But the monstrous
hero immediately placed himself at the feet of the man of
God, and said, "Holy Cadoc, eminent servant of God,
blessed art thou by God and man; I earnestly beseech thy
benignity, that thou wilt not by any means permit my mi
serable soul, hitherto suffering dreadful punishment in hell,
to go there again." "What saint art thou," said Cadoc, "or
of what family wert thou descended, and also thy departure
from this life minutely relate." The giant answered, " I
reigned formerly for many years beyond the mountain Ban-
nawc; it happened that by the instigation of the devil, I and
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
351
all my robbers came to these coasts, for the sake of plun
dering, and laying them waste. The king who reigned
over this country at that time, pursuing us with his troops,
a battle was fought between us, and I and my army were
slain. From the very day of my being killed, we have been
hitherto tormented in the devouring flames of hell, but my
punishment exceeds in torture the torments of others, be
cause in all these things I have sinned against the great
God, as the Scripture saith, " The powerful shall suffer the
greater torments." The man of God enquired, by what
name was he called. And he answered, " I am called for a
long time Caw, with the surname Prydyn or Cawr.1 To
whom, said the man of God, " Rejoice, and be of a cheerful
mind, for it is granted to me by God that thou shalt live
longer in this world, and for the course of thy present life,
if thou wilt exhibit faithful and devoted obedience to God,
and wilt humbly obey my doctrines, and wilt perform due
satisfaction for thy sins, thy soul will at length be removed
from the mournful prison of the body to eternal glory, and
there happily reign with God in a state of happiness." To
these words the giant thus answered, " All the things that
you have ordered appear light to me, and I will willingly
perform them effectually." Therefore from that day, to the
death of the man of God, the digger performed by digging
what had been commanded him. That the miracle might
therefore increase in celebrity throughout Scotland, the
Scottish reguli gave him four and twenty villages.
23. OF THE BELL WHICH SAINT GILDAS REFUSED TO PART WITH TO
THE MAN OF GOD.
The divinely appointed time of seven years having been
at length terminated, the blessed Cadoc returned from
thence to his own country, namely Llancarvan, and there
lived. But it is not to be passed over that a certain emi
nent Briton, a scholar, and a very excellent writer of the
1 Caw, lord of Cwm Cawlwyd, in North Britain, well known as the progenitor of a
large family of Welsh Saints.
352 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
name of Gildas, the son of Caw, a skilful artist, came hither
from the borders of Ireland, with a very beautiful spotted
Bell, and received from him hospitality for one night at
Llancarvan, who particularly noticing the said Bell, struck
it. And as the beauty, and the sound, and the colour
pleased him, he implored the said Gildas that he would be
so kind as to sell the bell to him. He refused, saying, " I
will not sell it, for I shall offer it upon the altar of Saint
Peter at Rome." And the blessed Cadoc with earnest en
treaties said, " I will fill it with pence for thee." Gildas
also refused the offered sum a second time. Then he added,
"I will give thee as much pure gold as it will contain." He
refused, for he would by no means part with it, asserting that
he had solemnly given it with a vow to God and Saint
Peter, and that with the favour of God, he should give
what he had vowed; since Solomon thus saith, "A foolish
and unfaithful promise is displeasing to God."
Then the said Gildas went to Rome with the Bell, and
showed it to the Roman Pope Alexander,1 saying, "I will
offer this bell made by me, and brought here from as far as
Ireland, to God and Saint Peter on his altar. The same
high Pontiff of the apostolic see, carefully examined it, and
endeavoured by striking it, to find out its sound to his ears;
but it did not produce any sound. Then the Pope, much
wondering, asked the clergyman, " How is it that thy bell
has an iron tongue, or clapper, and does not sound; so that
it is turned to the nature of lead, although it is iron?
Shew," said he, "how it may sound immediately."
And he answered, " My Lord, a certain holy man named
Cadoc living in Britain, received me at his place of enter
tainment in this journey of peregrination, and was the last
that struck the bell, when it gave a sweet sound." To
whom the Pope replied, "The man of whom thou dost
speak, has been long known to me, for he has been here
1 There does not appear to have been any Pope of this name contemporary with Saint
Cadoc.
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 353
seven times, and in Jerusalem thrice, going abroad to obtain
forgiveness for the souls of his parents and companions."
The Pope took the bell again, and blessed it, and said, -
"Take this bell, blessed and consecrated by me, to the
blessed Cadoc, that in this mouth important oaths may be
made, and the refuge of all Britain firmly remain; and for
these two reasons the Britons shall reverence the bell, be
cause it has been blessed by me, and will be possessed by
Saint Cadoc. For I have heard of the incredulity of that
nation, and of its rebellious perverseness, therefore I will
send this, that by it they may cordially agree and make
peace; also if any will perjure himself thereon, unless he
will perform due penance, he will be accursed both here
and hereafter."
These words having been pronounced by the apostolic
prefect, the blessed Gildas taking the oft-mentioned bell,
and travelling homewards, brought it to the blessed Cadoc,
who remained at Llancarvan, and related to him all that
had been injoined to him by the apostolic prefect relating
to the bell. Therefore he admired the bell more earnestly
than before, and immediately he struck it with his hands,
to produce melodious sounds, and immediately of itself by
sounding it produced a melody, which it had before refused
before the Pope. Likewise ancient learned men among
the Britons assert that the Lord for love to Saint Cadoc,
has through this Bell raised to life two persons from the
dead, and still testify when they were so raised. They also
mention that it twice spoke with human speech, and also
spoke a third time.
24. OF THE DEATH OP GwYNLLIW THE FATHER OF SAINT CADOC.
Therefore it happened that Gwynlliw, the father of Saint
Cadoc, was ill with a mortal disorder, and he sent one of his
servants, named Istan, for his son Cadoc, that he might
come as soon as possible to him; who proceeded quickly,
until he came to the Taf, which, at that time, was of such
depth and breadth that no person on horseback, or on foot
354 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
could pass across, unless he was taken by the rowing of
a boat. For the breadth of the river at that time extended
from the ford of Pennugual to the hill of king Morgan,1
which, in the language of that country, was named Rhiw
Morgan. Therefore the aforesaid messenger not finding a
boat to cross the river, called aloud on a certain unmarried
hermit, named Tylyuguay,2 who lived on the other side of
the river, affectionately imploring him to go as quickly as
he could to blessed Cadoc, and inform him of the cause of
his infirmity; by which intreaties the aid of the hermit was
effectually obtained; and the blessed Cadoc with twenty
disciples came to the house of the aforesaid Tylyuguay;
and there he was hospitably entertained that night with all
his companions. Tylyuguay went as usual to the river for
the purpose of fishing, for the pious man was accustomed to
go a fishing every night and to catch a fish ; but on that
night twenty-four came into the net for the supper of blessed
Cadoc and his companions. Also when the blessed man was
thirsty, he asked for drink to be given him; to whom Ty
lyuguay answered, " We have nothing, Sir, to drink that is
proper for drinking, and besides the spring is a great way
off." To whom the man of the Lord reached out his stick,
1 Morgan ab Athrwys, generally called Morgan Mwynfawr. In the lolo MSS. it is
stated that he succeeded Gwynlliw, as regulus of Glywysig, and in the Liber Landavensis
he is called king of Glywysig. His grandfather Meurig ap Tewdrig, king of Glamorgan,
died about 575, when Oudoceus was bishop of Llandaff, and was succeeded by Athrwys,
whose reign appears to have been but short, and at whose decease, Morgan, who had
previously succeeded to Glywysig, became paramount sovereign of Glamorgan. This
most probably took place before the decease of Saint Cadoc, about the year 580. It is
worthy of observation, that in the various grants to Llandaff recorded in the Liber Lan
davensis, no mention is made of Cadoc, as principal or abbot of Llancarvan, even in the
time of king Meurig ap Tewdrig. At the election of Saint Oudoceus to the bishopric of
Llandaff in 566 or thereabouts, Cyngen is mentioned as abbot of Cadmael ; next, in a grant
by Meurig ap Tewdrig, Jacob is placed as abbot of Cadoc ; after which Cyngen appears as
abbot of Carvan Valley, in a grant by the same Meurig, and also in a subsequent one by his
grandson Morgan Mwynfawr, in whose reign a synod was held at " The abbey of Carvan
Valley," to pass judgment upon that king, for having treacherously slain his uncle Frioc;
Cyngen was then abbot ; and from subsequent grants, he appears to have been succeeded
by Sulien, who had previously been abbot of Docunni. From the foregoing, and the
grants detailed in this work, it may be inferred that Saint Cadoc resigned the immediate
superintendence of the establishment at Llancarvan, either to Elli, Jacob, or Cyngen, in
the time of Meurig ap Tewdrig, and that Morgan had became king of Glywysig, during
the life time of his grandfather Meurig.
1 In the Manuscript, British Museum, Titus D. xxii. the name of this hermit is given
as " Teliowaw," which bears a considerable resemblance to the " Teliaw," or Saint Teilo,
of the Liber Landavensis.
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 355
saying, " Take my stick with thee, and wheresoever it may
please thee, strike the earth with its end, and immediately
the Lord will cause to flow for our need, a fountain of clear
water." And so it was done.
On that night, the man anxiously resolved much in his
mind how he should pass the river in the morning, and an
angel appeared to him, who said, "Be firm in mind, and be
not troubled and anxious respecting the difficulty of this
matter, as God is a powerful assistant to thee ; for to-mor
row when thou comest to the brink of this great river, take
thy staff in thy hand, and strike the river three times, in the
name of the holy Trinity, in the same manner as did Moses,
the leader of the people of Israel, and the Lord God will
divide this river to you, and cause you to pass dry-shod."
When it became full light in the morning, Cadoc with all
his companions arose; and having confidence in God, went
with them to the brink of the aforesaid river, and there he
did what had been commanded. He therefore struck the
river Taf, and it immediately divided, the upper part of the
river towards the mountain, and the lower part gliding
downwards, like Jordan in the office of the baptism of
Christ, of whom it is said, "What ailed thee, O thou sea,
that thou fleddest, and thou Jordan, that thou wast driven
back?" The blessed Cadoc, and his company, passed through
the channel of the river dry-shod, and the oft-mentioned
Tylyuguay called after them, saying, " Beloved servants of
the Lord, loosen this river from its present state to its for
mer course, before you depart hence, that fish may be
taken therefrom; but if it can be done, cause that it be di
minished in depth and breadth, so that it may be passed
through on foot."
And the man of God, together with his disciples, prayed
that the river might remain less for ever, according to the
petition of Tylyuguay, And as they prayed, lo; a great
river, as an immense torrent, burst from the broken rocks,
and like a foaming sea went precipitately towards the
ocean, until it flowed in its accustomed channel ; but its
356 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
breadth and depth have remained less to the present day ;
also it carried a very large stone, as if torn from the infer
nal whirlpool, upon the land of the aforesaid hermit, and
there left it. When therefore the hermit saw this, he
shewed it to the blessed man ; who accordingly ordered
the heap of stones to be called by the name of the religious
inhabitant, Cam, that is the Rock of Tylyuguay.
The venerable man then departing, came to his sick
father ; who, rejoicing greatly on his arrival, said to him,
" I have sent for thee to me, that at the end of my life
thou mayest hear my confession." Then the blessed Cadoc
gave to him the sacrament of the eucharist, and received
his confession. And he taking breath, said to his son,
blessing him, "May thou be blessed," he said, " because
the Lord has had mercy on me on thy account, and hast
contributed to obtain for me his compassion ; wherefore I
give to thee, before all that are present, and hear my will,
all this my country, for which thou hast long sustained
many injuries, and some losses ; that is, I grant to thee the
privilege from the fountain, which is called in the British
language Ffynon Hen, that is from the Old Fountain;
until it comes to the entrance of the river Nadawan, that
all kings, earls, and nobles, and also military officers, and
domestics, be buried in the cemetery of thy Monastery at
Llancarvan ; that is, let every one be there buried, except
exiles, and women dying in child-bed. Whosoever will
observe the command of this privilege, the Lord will preserve
him now, and in the time to come ; but him who will not
observe it, may God destroy both in the present and fu
ture ages." And all the people answered AMEN. Gwynlliw
the father of the blessed Cadoc being dead, he was buried
in his own monastery, which from his name, is called in the
British language, Eglwys Gwynlliw.1 And Cadoc having
honourably performed the funeral rites of his father, return
ed home with his clergy.
1 Near the church of St. Wollos there is a tumulus, which, according to the local tra
dition, was the tomb of Gwynlliw.— W.
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 357
25. OF THE DROWNING OF SAINT BARRUC AND SAINT GWALCHES, AND
OF THE MANUAL BOOK FOUND IN THE BELLY OF A SALMON.
It happened that at another time the blessed Cadoc on a
certain day sailed with two of his disciples, namely Barruc
and Gwalches,1 from the island of Echni, which is now called
Holme, to another island named Barry. When therefore
he prosperously landed in the harbour, he asked his said dis
ciples for his Enchiridion, that is manual book ; and they
confessed that they had, through forgetfulness, lost it in the
aforesaid island. Which he hearing, he immediately com
pelled them to go aboard a ship, and sail back to recover their
book ; and burning with anger, said, " Go, not to return."
Then his disciples, by the command of their master, without
delay quickly went aboard a boat, and by sailing, got to
the said island. Having obtained the aforesaid volume,
they soon in their passage returned to the middle of the
sea, and were seen at a distance by the man of God
sitting on the top of a hill in Barry, when the boat unex
pectedly overturned, and they were drowned. The body
of Barruc being cast by the tide on the shore of Barry, was
there found, and in that island buried, which from his
name is so called to the present time. But the body of
the other, namely Gwalches, was carried by the sea to
the island of Echni, and was there buried.2
About the ninth hour, Cadoc the servant of God being
desirous to refresh his body wasted by fastings, comman
ded his attendants to procure some fishes for dinner, who
went to the sea for the purpose of fishing, and found a
1 The Achau Saint take no notice of these two saints. Cressy mentions the first, and
his account is quoted by Professor Rees, according to which, he died in 700, and his feast
day is the 29th of November. Gwalches is mentioned by Camden, who says he was a dis
ciple of Barruc, as he learned from an ancient monument in Llandaff Cathedral, but gives
no copy of the inscription. — W.
a Some years ago a tombstone was found on the Flat Holmes, conjectured to be that
of the saint; but as it bore no inscription, but simply a cross, there can be no certainty on
the subject. In the calendar a St. Gwal is commemorated on the 3rd of May, and called
an Abbot. I know not whether this be our Gwalch or not. — W.
358 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
very large salmon on the sand, and rejoicing brought it to
their master; in the bowels of which, when it was cut open,
they found the aforesaid book free from all injury by water,
and white, which the man of the Lord, giving thanks to
God gladly received, and declared that it was manifest to
all that nothing was impossible to God.
26. OF WOLVES CHANGED INTO STONES.
Another miracle not less wonderful, divine mercy deign
ed to perform by the merits of his faithful servant Cacloc.
When his sheep depastured on the aforesaid island Echni,
lo, two wolves from England, by swimming came to that
place. Having torn many of the sheep, and slain some with
their rapacious mouths, they attempted to swim towards
the British sea ; but when they had come to the middle
they were changed by divine judgment, because they had
irritated, and slain his sheep, into stones, and in the British
language were called Cunbleid, that is Wolf Stones.1
27. How SAINT CADOC BY HIS PRAYERS PRODUCED FROM THE EARTH,
IN CORNWALL, A HEALTH-BEARING FOUNTAIN.
Nor it is unpleasant to mention the goodness of God in
his more wonderful miracles, but it is agreeable to make his
eminent servant more celebrated in miracles, by his afford
ing a most excellent remedy, and comfort for human infir
mity. For lately, when the said most illustrious man came
from the mount of St. Michael, which is known to be in
Cornwall, and in the idiom of the district, is called Dinsol,
and there the same archangel, who was venerated by all
who came there, being hot, and fatigued from his journey
was very thirsty. And the place where this happened was
very dry ; therefore the blessed Cadoc struck the ground
1 The Wolves,-are two well known dangerous rocks in the Bristol channel, which the
saint would have conferred a greater benefit, upon posterity, by removing, if he had the
power, than suffering to remain. However we may safely acquit him of having had any
thing to do with them. — W.
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 359
with his stick, and immediately a full flowing fountain
sprang from the ground, and therefore they who accom
panied him, also drank like the Israelites athirst in the
wilderness, when Moses struck the rock with his stick, and
the water flowed in abundance. As all were satisfied with
water, they said to their companions. " Let us earnestly
beseech the divine goodness that all such persons, as shall
come to this sacred fountain, may therefrom, with the
favour of God, receive the cure of divers diseases ; and as
it extinguished our raging thirst, so let it heal the painful
disorders of bodies." For if any sick person, having firm
confidence in God, shall drink of that fountain, he will re
ceive the cure of his belly and bowels, and he will drive all
venomous worms from his body. And after the men of
Cornwall saw that frequent cures of the disorders of both
sexes were constantly effected at that fountain by divine
piety, they built a small church in honour of Saint Cadoc,
near the fountain.
28. OF THE THIEF WHO STOLE AN OX.
It therefore happened that on a certain day, the survey
or of Saint Cadoc, who at that time they called the sexton
of Llancarvan, being forced by the command of the abbot,
and the necessity of the clergy, came to the court of a cer
tain regulus, named Rhytherch, carrying with him the
gospel of Gildas. There was in that court, on the same
clay, an action against a certain rustic for taking away an
ox by theft, he denying with all his might the crime which
was alleged against him. Then the surveyor came to him,
and in a joke, drew his naked knife of no small size, and
brandishing it with vibrating hand, said, " O foolish man,
this is the knife of Saint Cadoc, if therefore thou hast per
jured thyself, thou shalt immediately die, for it shall pierce
thy bowels." Then the rustic being greatly terrified, threw
himself down at the feet of the clergyman, confessing him
self guilty, and saying, "Forgive me for the love of God,
360 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
and Saint Cadoc, for I have committed the crime of steal
ing the ox, and have besides done perjury." Which being-
known, the king, with the standers by, offered to the gospel
of Gild as, and enriched it with a clerical donative, and per
petually employed the thief in the service of the monastery
of Saint Cadoc.
29. OF THE GOSPEL OF GILDAS.
When blessed Gildas lived in the isle of Echni, and
performed the ministerial duties, he wrote a missal book,
and offered it to Saint Cadoc, when he became his confess
or ; therefore that book was called the Gospel of Gildas.
This is the tradition of that volume. If any one of the
progeny of CynaythwTy should perjure himself on that gos
pel, his life will be shortened ; and if any one of the clergy
of Carban valley, that is coming from Llancarvan, induced
by necessity, and carrying the Gospel of Gildas, should
come to some one of the offspring of Cynaythwy, and should
find him by chance putting on his garment, he shall not put
it all on without clerical leave, but always remain, doing
his duties, half clothed, and proceed with naked feet to the
Carban valley. This is the tradition also of the vari-coloured
bell. " If any one of the offspring of Lywthyly shall swear a
false oath upon the vari-coloured bell, his life will be short
ened, and he will not be enriched by inheritance, but will
soon die. If any one of the clergy of Carban valley, com
pelled by some business, shall, carrying the bell, go to some
one of the descendants of Lywthyly, and by chance should
find him clothing himself with a garment, he shall not put
it all on without the leave of a clergyman, but go quickly
half undressed to Carban valley.
30. OF THE MIXTURE OF THE WATER OF JORDAN AND THAT OF THE
CORNISH FOUNTAIN, WHICH AFTER A SPACE OF TIME WAS
USED WITH EFFECT.
The blessed Cadoc being desirous to travel abroad, visi
ted the thresholds of Saint Peter, then Jerusalem, and
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 361
afterwards the river Jordan, of which he filled a bottle,
and brought it with him to Britain. He placed the
sacred water that he had brought in the aforesaid fountain,
which by intreaty, he had produced from the ground in the
district of Cornwall, and it became more holy by this posi
tion and mixture ; for previously it restored only some to
health, but afterwards it cured more than a hundred fold.
31. OF THE CONVERSATION OF SAINT CADOC, AT THE RIVER
NEATH.
After a space of time, Saint Cadoc hearing that there
were many places which were solitary, and suitable for her
mits, visited them, that he might see ; and in them he re
mained a short space of time, but left them after the depar
ture of two of his clergy. On a certain day, when he
walked about the banks of the river Neath, he saw a white
boar lying under a tree, which his companions killed ; he
saw, secondly, bees coming, and entering into a hollow
tree ; and thirdly, the nest of a hawk at the top of the tree.
Then he sent those gifts to king Arthmael, who gave
to the blessed Cadoc the liberty of dwelling and possess
ing that land. " Thenceforth," said Cadoc, " here is a boar,
and a honeycomb, and here is a furious hawk ; that place is
fertile, which therefore Cadoc loves, they will make him re
joice, seeking blessed things among such tokens, they will
make me glad ; praising, I will commend the giver ; why
should I not rejoice, he has given, and will confer honour ;
here I will dwell, because I behold significant things. He
would not that we should extend our progress any further;
they point out, rather they compel ; here let us remain ;
boar's flesh shall aid by procuring what is fit by hunting;
a honied sweetness constitutes feasts for the clergy; a
table with birds obtained by a comely enemy ; our health
not being sickly is then without disease."
3G2 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
32. OF A RELIGIOUS EDIFICE WHICH THE MAN OF GoD BUILT
IN BRITTANY.
In that time, when Cadoc of venerable memory went to
Rome, and passed through all the places of the saints that
were built in Italy and France, for the sake of seeing the
relics of the saints, it happened that he came to a certain
province formerly called Armorica, afterwards Lettau,1 but
now the Lesser Brittain. And he heard that there was
there a certain island without inhabitants, placed in the
sea, and distant from the shore about the space of the
third part of a league. Going into a boat with his disci
ples, he prosperously arrived at the harbour of the place ;
and seeing that it was beautiful and fertile, he said to his
followers, "My brethren, I choose this place, by the favour
of God, and here, if it pleases you, I desire to remain." And
they answering said, "Sir, what seems good to thee, we
will willingly do." He then erected there an elegant
church with stones ; and afterwards caused to be built by
masons, a stone bridge skilfully constructed with arched
work, and having its arches cemented with mortar. These
things having been accomplished, on a certain night, while
he indulged in sleep, he heard one speaking with an angelic
voice, as follows, " Cadoc, the most faithful of the servants
of God, it is not lawful for thee to live any longer here, for
thou oughtest to return very soon to thy country, because
thy clergy grieve not a little on account of thy long
absence."
Therefore morning praises, as usual, having been given to
God, he sent for all the monks to him, and related to them
his vision, saying, " My most dear companions and brethren,
proceed in the Lord, for here I cannot remain any longer,
but I firmly command you that ye persevere constantly in
the service of God." These words being heard, they began
to weep bitterly ; then he appointed to them in his place, a
1 In Welsh, Llydaw.
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 363
prior from his disciples, whose name was Cadwaladr. And
as he blessed his discipies, he received from them leave to
depart ; and then he began his journey homewards, and
passing prosperously over immense tracts of country, suc
ceeded at length in arriving at his own church of Llan-
carvan.
Before much time was passed, the monks of the afore
said island, went out for the purpose of seeing the bridge,
being tired of the absence of their master, and following
with the desire of their minds and the prospect of their eyes,
in the way on which he had departed, when while they were
looking on, the bridge was overthrown so completely that
it was reduced to nothing, as if it never had been built.
Which being seen, they returned to the church with great
lamentation, and falling headlong to the ground, fasted for
three days, and three nigjits, praying to the Lord for con
solation on account of s6 great a misfortune ; and on the
third night, a voice was sent from Heaven to the prior of
the place in a dream, saying, " God has heard your prayer
for the love of Saint Cadoc, for to-morrow you will see the
bridge whole, and uninjured. Morning praises having been
sung, the prior mentioned the revelation made known to
him by God, ; then the monks, for great joy, ran as soon as
they could to behold what had been promised, and found
the bridge uninjured, and seven times stronger than before.
And when they had carefully examined the bridge in all
parts, they returned joyful to their oratory, praising and
blessing the Lord. This miracle becoming known through
out the country, all the inhabitants of the province gave
honour and praise to God, and Saint Cadoc. For the
blessed Cadoc is by that nation called Cathodw, from
which appellation the island has received its name, that is
Ynys Cathodw, in which are many kinds of fruits, that are
said to effect cures of various diseases.
364 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
33. OF THE COUNTRYMAN WHO UNLAWFULLY BEHELD THE SEPULCHRAL
MONUMENTS OF THE AUDITORS OF SAINT CADOC.
The same patron of venerable memory long ago built a
handsome monastery, with stone materials in Scotland,
near the mountain Bannawc, and having assembled bre
thren therein, he appointed that devout service should con
stantly be rendered to God by them. In a certain porch of
which monastery, the bodies of three of his disciples lay,
covered with marble monuments, but no one dared to look
into their tomb, neither married, nor unmarried, but only
persons in holy orders. There was on the outside in the
wall of the porch a certain hole, through which the kings,
and nobles of that country, if by chance a great dispute
arose between them, were to place their hands, and make
oath, and if any one broke that oath, he should die before
the end of the year. According to custom, a multitude of
the common people were assembled on the day of the festi
vity of Saint Cadoc to hear mass, and the celebration of
mass having been ended, a certain foolish countryman, mak
ing a great nosie, spoke to the presbyters in the midst of
the people, "Will you let me go to the hole, that I may
look through it?" They answered, and said to him, "Go,
and Saint Cadoc will make a mark of revenge to appear on
thee." The rash man therefore ran to the hole; and covered
one of his eyes with his hand, and with the other looked
through the window, and as soon as said, the uncovered eye
cracked, and by the optic nerve hung on his face. The
countryman therefore uttered a great and mournful lamen
tation, and quickly went to the crowds of the people, which
being seen, all the common people with loud voice rendered
praise to God and Saint Cadoc, saying, "From the rising
to the setting of the sun, the name of the Lord is to be
praised." And the said countryman went about from place
to place, throughout the province of Lintheamus, not cover
ing his extracted eye, and much money was given him for
shewing his eye-ball that had been torn out. Therefore his
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 365
fellow-countrymen more and more learned to fear God, and
to glorify him reverently with his Saint. But as it would be
too laborious to mention with a pen all the miracles and
wonders of this holy patron, those few, from many, will be
sufficient for those who read devoutly; for no one is able to
relate all his wonderful acts, unless Cadoc himself should
rise from the dead ; but as he was removed in a white cloud
from Britain to the city of Beneventum, we have thought
proper, with the favour of God, to mention the particulars
with our pen.
HERE ENDS THE LIFE OF SAINT CADOC, ALSO CALLED
SOPHIAS; AND HERE BEGINS HIS PASSION ON THE DTK OF
THE CALENDS OF FEBRUARY, IN THE CITY OF BENEVENTUM.
34. How SAINT CADOC WAS REMOVED IN A WHITE CLOUD FROM
CARBAN VALLEY TO BENEVENTUM.
The angel of the Lord appeared to blessed Cadoc, in a
dream, on the eve of Palm Sunday, and said to him,
"God has decreed that thou shalt now depart from the
land of Britain." To which the blessed man answering
said, " All things that shall be ordered me by the Lord,
I will willingly perform, as far as I am able, but how I
shall depart from hence, I do not at all know." To whom
the angel answered, " To-morrow, after thou hast preached
to thy people, thou shalt return to the place that is nigh to
thy castle, where thou hast been accustomed to rest after
preaching, and there stopping, shalt remain a little while,
and a bright cloud shall cover thee, and thereon thou shalt
be bodily carried to the city of Beneventum, as Elias was
in a chariot of fire to Paradise, and this will be a sign to
thee; when thou wilt descend from the cloud, the abbot of
that city will, in that hour, be honourably buried in thy
presence, and being deposited in the ground after the man
ner of abbots, the monks of that place will appoint thee in
his room. Wherefore thou shalt give up thy principal town,
3 A
366 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
Llancarvan, with all its clergy, and common people to thy
unmarried disciple Elli, in the sight of all, and shalt make
him a doctor, and a rector to them. And in the same night,
the said messenger of God will mention to the Prior of the
city of Beneventum, in a vision, while asleep, those things,
saying, " To-morrow, a certain learned clergyman, a western
Briton, a chosen servant of God, will come hither to you,
and him earnestly beseech to be appointed an abbot over
you, because your abbot has died on this night; for God
has chosen him to be appointed in the room of your abbot;
and he will be called Sophias among you, because he is full of
the wisdom of God." The blessed Cadoc therefore rising in
the morning, related what had been foretold to him by the
angel to his very dear unmarried auditor, Elli; and about
the first hour, Elli, secretly, with respect to what has been
mentioned, assembled according to custom a procession on
Palm Sunday, with the relics of the saints; and he went from
church, with the clergy and people following him, to the ri
vulet of Saint Cadoc, which in the British language is called
Pistill Cattwg, and there, as it is said, he preached to the
people, from a mound, which is nigh the rivulet, until the
third hour; and about the third, namely, the holy commu
nion, after preaching, he returned with all the company to
his castle, and there remained, repeating his preaching; and
having at length finished his sermon, according to the an
gelic commandment, he spoke to them as follows.
" Hear me, brethren, and receive my words into your ears,
for to-day I appoint my disciple Elli to be rector and doc
tor over you, and do you receive him cheerfully, and be
humbly obedient to him, for I myself am ignorant with
respect to the end of my life." For Elli alone was ac
quainted with the matter, and he bore the words heavily in
his heart. Then the man of God commanded them all and
said, " I command you all in the name of the Lord, that no
powerful worldly king, nor bishop, nor nobleman shall ever
adjudge, with respect to any dispute or injury over you ;
but if any one shall inflict an injury upon you, or if any one
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
367
of you should injure another, or if any one in some other
matter, should in any way adjudge over you, let judges be
made from amongst yourselves. And with respect to the
place of judgment, let it be under the shade of the hazel
tree, which I myself have planted nigh the monastery, and
it will give its pledge to stand in correct judging, in the
hand of the abbot in the day of trial."
And the abbot placed it upon the altar ; and said, " May
they adjudge right according to the intention of the synod,
and the judicial series in the book which I have written. If
any one will despise this commandment, so as to break it,
may he be cursed in the judgment of the supreme Judge,
and not live long, nor ever have plenty of what is good, and
whoever will keep it, may he be blessed, and may God
lengthen his life, and an angel of the Lord in all places at
tend on him." While he yet spoke, lo, the brightness of
God suddenly surrounded them, and all alike fell headlong
on their faces to the ground, not being able to behold such
a quantity of light. All having therefore fallen to the
ground, the blessed Cadoc was taken off in a white cloud
from their eyes, and disappeared; and immediately in the
twinkling of an eye descended from the cloud in the city
of Beneventum, and was seen amongst those persons; who
were burying the abbot; and wonderful to be said, he con
stantly, and perfectly knew their language by the gift of
the Holy Spirit, and they likewise his; and they soon knew
that it was he, of whom the angel had before spoken to the
Prior.
And in the same hour, a congregation of all the clergy
and many monks, and the bishop of the city, having as
sembled, with common assent they willingly ordained him an
abbot over them, and named him Sophias, for they saw that he
was full of divine wisdom, and because it was by that name,
it was before ordered by the angel that he should be called.
A little after, he fortified a great part of the city with a
wall, which had previously been built with the mud of the
earth, and the material becoming by degrees more and
368 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
more ruinous, had fallen into rubbish. The workmen being
in want of spring water, and leaving the work on that
account unfinished, addressing the holy Sophias, said, " We
cannot by any means work, because we cannot find water
near at hand." Accordingly Saint Sophias prayed that
very night to the Lord that he would condescend to shew
what he would do in this matter. After prayer he rested
with sleep his limbs that were weary from watchings, and
an angel descending from above kindly comforted him that
he should not be sorrowful on that account, but that rising
in the morning he should go to the wall of the city, and
foretold to him that he would there find a plentiful flowing
fountain for the use of the masons. The holy man there
fore, according to the command of the angel, stretching him
self and shaking off sloth early in the morning, went with
haste to see the wall of the city, that had been begun, and
found a deep fountain near it.
35. How SAINT ELLI WAS ACCUSTOMED TO VISIT THE BLESSED CADOC
ANNUALLY.
And Elli was accustomed to go very often with his dis
ciples to the city of Beneventum, for the purpose of visit
ing the blessed Cadoc, also called Sophias; in some of
which visitings, some persons died, and were honourably
buried in the monastery of Saint Sophias ; whose sepul
chres are placed together in one series, in order, before the
altar, from one wall to another. Eight very decent marble
monuments may be there found.
36. How SAINT CADOC WAS RAISED TO BE THE BISHOP OF BENEVENTUM.
The bishop of that city being dead, in the following
night an angel of the Lord appeared in a vision to Saint
Sophias, commanding him from the Lord that he should re
ceive the episcopal order; also in the same night a mes
senger from heaven revealed to the Archdeacon, whilst he
indulged in sleep, that he should on the following day,
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 369
without delay, by divine command, promote Saint Sophias
to the degree of bishop. The Archdeacon, with the com
pany of the clergy, and the common people being assem
bled together, he related to them all what the divine oracle
had made known to him by angelic revelation respecting
the promoting of Saint Sophias. The report of the Arch
deacon pleased all who heard it, and they unanimously
appoint Saint Sophias to the episcopal see.
After a short space of time, while the said person lived
in his episcopal dignity, and governed his diocese in a
mild, and holy manner, he heard an angel of the Lord men
tioning to him in a vision of the night, " Lo, an option is
given to thee by the Lord ; now choose by what death thou
wilt leave this mortal life, and migrate to the eternal king
dom." He answered him, " Having my option, I choose
martyrdom, as it is before the Lord the most excellent of
deaths." To whom the angel said, " Be firm," said he, " in
heart and mind, because God is with thee ; for to-morrow,
a certain cruel king will plunder this city, and whilst thou
wilt celebrate the divine mysteries of the mass, a certain
soldier of his accomplices, entering the monastery, and
brandishing his spear, will cruelly kill thee with its point,
upon the altar." Therefore the blessed Sophias gave thanks
to God, and said to the angel, " I am ready for martyrdom,
for by this death, our Lord Jesus Christ, and his apostles,
and some others have triumphed in the world, and obtained
the glory of a heavenly kingdom." The blessed Sophias
awaking, arose to morning praises, as usual, and as the day
proceeded, about the first hour, he dressed himself in his
missal vestments, being about to celebrate the divine sacri
fice. As he sang mass, lo, the aforesaid tyrant, having as
sembled his army, plundered the suburbs contiguous to
the city ; of whom, some came into the city for the sake of
plundering. Whence out-cries, and wailings resounded on
all sides through the city, but Saint Sophias stood undaunted,
and did not in the least interrupt the celebration of the
mass, although he was conscious of the evil.
370 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
Then forthwith, one of the horsemen, entered the church
wherein he partook of the holy sacrament, and with incited
step, and raging fury, pierced Saint Sophias, with a lance,
as he stood on the altar, and was partaking of the salutary
consecration of the body and blood of our Lord. Who,
besmeared with his blood, and with eyes lifted up towards
heaven, commended his soul to the Lord, saying, " Lord
Jesus receive my spirit." Also he humbly prayed for his
murderer, in like manner as did the first martyr Stephen,
" Lord, Lord," said he, " lay not this sin to his charge, for
he knows not what he has done," and turning his prayer to
the Lord proceeded in continuation, " Almighty Lord, invi
sible King, Jesus Christ, the Saviour, grant me my request,
assist the Christians who dwell in my territories, give favour
to my body, that all persons who may have any part of my
bones, or of those of my disciples, may perform miracles,
and expel demons, and may every disease be far distant from
them. Let there be no unfruitfulness among their fruits, nor
barrenness in their corn, but let the wealth of all good per
sons be increased, and forgive them their crimes, whereby
they will reverence me on the earth, and always glorify
thee in heaven." And lo, a voice was sent from the white
cloud, saying, " Cadoc, my servant, ascend to the kingdom
of my Father, and what thou dost request, I will perform
for thee, I will not make thee sorrowful, for thou art bless
ed, since thou hast been mindful of me in thy last sufferings.
And I say unto thee, if any one shall be in great distress,
and mindful of thy name, will invoke me for thee, he shall
be liberated from the trouble of that distress."
After the Lord had spoken, he protected himself with
the mark of the salvation-bearing cross, and gave up
his spirit into the hands of the Almighty. And lo, sudden
ly a great brightness shone on the people devoutly engaged
in performing his funeral rites, and assembled for his fune
ral, so that no one of them was able to sustain it. They
brought his body, wrapped in white linen cloths, and
placed it in a silver coffin, and carried it to the place of
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 371
burial with hymns, and psalms, and spiritual songs, and
many lamps, and buried him honourably. And many
more miracles were performed after his death, at his sepul
chral monument, than had been before in his life-time.
Sight was restored to the blind, and walking to the lame,
the leprous were cleansed, and the demons were driven
away from those who were possessed by them.
They built a large church in honour of him over his vene
rable sepulchre, into which no Briton is permitted to enter;
which was so done, as the learned men of the city of Be-
neventum say, lest some Briton should in future come there
from his principal monastery, that is from Llancarvan, and
take away from thence by stealth the sacred earth of the
relics of his body, and from the taking away of that very pre
cious deposit, all the miracles, and the whole grace of the
saint, should together with that earth of the precious
relics of his body be removed from thence to his own
land at Llancarvan, that is Britain, where he was born.
But what is more grievous and horrible to be heard, it is
certain that after the taking away of his sacred body, the
fine flowing fountain that was near the city, which God by
his intreaty had caused to flow from the earth for the use
of the workmen, came like a sea over the city, and the in
habitants forbode its being overwhelmed. Saint Cadoc,
whilst he flourished in this life, avoided human praise, and
did many things known to God only, and unknown to mor
tals ; also he never passed by, with any interval or inter
mission, perseverance in frugality and economy, fastings,
watchings, and prayers. He not only performed his mira
cles in his life-time, but effected them beyond number after
his passage from the prison of this deceitful world; through
means of our Lord Jesus Christ, who with God the Father,
and the Holy Spirit lives, and reigns for ever and ever.
Amen.1
1 It is impossible to conjecture how this strange legend could have originated. Cressy
notices Saint Cadoc, alias Sophias, a bishop of Beneventum, in Italy, but neither one name
nor the other occurs in the list of bishops of that see. It has been suggested that the
place meant is Benevenna, now called Weedon, in Northamptonshire, which seems more
372 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
37. OF THE BELLOWING OF THE COFFIN OF SAINT CADOC WHEN STRUCK
BY SOME ONE, AND TUB DEATH OF THE STRIKER.
After the departure of the most gracious Cadoc from
transitory to eternal things, a certain very powerful Eng
lish viscount, named Eilaf, came to the country of Glamor
gan, with a large company of attendants, for the purpose of
plundering and destroying ; and the clergy of the celebra
ted Cadoc having heard an account of his impiety, fled
from Llancarvan, with the coffin of the holy man, and
other relics, bearing the means for their protection, until
they came to the place, Mammeliat,1 and there they hid
themselves. And when they had been there a short time,
a multitude of the Danish and English robbers came to
them ; who beholding the coffin, sought to take it off
with them ; and from four to one hundred men attempted
with all their might to raise it, nor were they able to re
move it from the place. Then they became angry, and one
more mad than the others, ran forwards quickly, and tak
ing a stout stick, struck it ; and on being struck, it produ
ced a loud bellowing noise, like a bull, and greatly fright
ened the whole army, and immediately there was a great
earthquake in those parts. The coffin being at length left
by them, one of them more unhappy than the others, being
induced by greediness, cut off its golden pinnacle with a
hatchet, which fell into his lap, and immediately like
fire burned his bosom ; and stupified, and excited by the
probable, assuming that town to have ever been a bishop's see, which may be doubted.
All that we know for certain, is, that a bishop of the name of Cadoc is commemorated in
the calendar on the 24th of February, who by some means has been confounded with
Cadoc ap Gwynlliw, who does not appear to have been a bishop at all; but owing to this
confusion, the feast of the latter has been stated to be the 24th of February, instead of
the 31st of March; according to the calendar before quoted, which is printed in a Roman
Catholic missal in my possession, the title page of which is lost, but from the names of
former owners written on the cover, I judge to be of the time of Henry VIII, or Eliza
beth, and from the great number of Welsh Saints it contains, was most likely intended
for the use of the inhabitants of the principality. Who this bishop was, or at what time,
and where he lived is totally unknown ; we can only conclude that such a person existed,
from his appearing in the calendar, and from his name that he was probably a Welsh
man or an Armorican ; Cressy calls him son of Guilleicus, a king of North Wales. — W.
1 Mammelliat, — Query Marahilad in Monmouthshire.
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 373
pain of heat, he resolved to fix the pinnacle in its place; and
being so fixed, it firmly adhered, as if it had been united by
gold soldering. Which being done, the unhappy violator
of the coffin melted in the sight of the whole army, like
wax before the fire. This miracle having been seen by
them, and being affected with fear on account of the afore
said things, they returned as exiles. Afterwards they had
not a desire for plundering the before-mentioned places of
the patron, and ceased to lay waste his territories.
38. OF THE OX CUT INTO PIECES AND BOILED, AND AFTERWARDS
RESTORED TO LIFE.
On a certain time, Meredydd, king of Reinuc,1 came
with a powerful force of enemies to his property in Gla
morgan, that he might there reign; where having come, he
ordered them to plunder, and to drive off oxen to the camp,
for food. And they therefore brought a hundred oxen,
amongst which was a very fat one, that was stolen from the
townsmen of the blessed Cadoc; and when slain, it was cut in
to pieces, that by cooking it might be prepared for satisfying
the hunger of the king, and his companions; but it could
not by any means be roasted by coals, nor boiled in water.
Which being told to the king he ordered all the aforesaid
oxen to be restored to their owners. And when they were
all brought together, the ox that had been killed, which I
have above mentioned, appeared alive and well among the
others. Then every one took his own ox, praising and glo
rifying God in his excellent servant Cadoc.
39. OF THE BREAKING OF IRON RlNGS.
After a very long interval of time, three foreigners bound
with iron rings, came from the East to the monastery of
1 An ancient name for Herefordshire. There is nothing to identify the Meredydd
here mentioned with any of the reigning princes of Wales of that name, except that the
occurrence took place after Saint Cadoc's death ; and the sovereigns recorded as living
nearest his era are Meredydd king of Dyved, slain about A.D. 800, by the Saxons, at
Morva Rhuddlan, and Meredydd ab Owain ab Ilywei Bda, who in 990 laid waste Rad
nor and Glamorgan.
SB
374 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
the aforesaid Saint, on the day of his solemnity. And while
they celebrated mass, those iron bands, all the people be
holding them, broke. Wherefore that this miracle might
be known to all, they hung those rings on the altar.
40. OF A STEWARD BEING SLAIN, AND AFTERWARDS RESTORED TO LIFE.
Also the said Saint owned part of a certain field in Ire
land, on the banks of the river Limphi, where he had a very
faithful steward, who offensively preserved the corn of his
master, that the flocks of the neighbours should not devour
it, and he shut up in confinement the cattle of his neigh
bours. The governor of that province being inflamed with
anger, collected together a hundred armed men, who to
gether attacked the steward of the blessed man; and all
mutually striking him, each singly wounded him with one
stroke of his weapon, and killed him; not one alone, but
all were equally guilty of the murder. And they departing
after his death, and looking back, saw the man who had
been before killed, in health and standing; which being
seen, they hastily directed their steps to him, and observed
how soon the wounds of his head had been cured, whose
scars being healed, they appeared no larger than the marks
of bulrushes. Then all reflecting on what they had done,
acknowledged that they were guilty of his death, and de
parting went together to the king, and related to him all
that they had seen respecting this miracle. And the king
when he heard it, enlarged the bounds of his paternal pro
perty, and magnified him during all his life. The learned
among the Irish, who lived in the monastery of his disciple,
the blessed Finnian, bear witness that if any one of the
clergy of Saint Cadoc went to them, they honourably re
ceived him, and made him as one of their heirs. And this is
said to be a token of their justice, that if an old man
touch a lock of the monastery with his hand, he will open
it without a key.
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 375
41. OP THE INCLINATION OF A TREE UNDER THE FEET OF THE PREACHER.
Formerly a king of Reinuc named Cynan, with the sur
name of Garwyn,1 having collected a large force of troops,
resolved to invade all the country of Glamorgan, and after
a slaughter of the men, and a robbery of the cattle and
household goods, to claim it to himself. And removing their
camp, they settled on the banks of the great river Neath;
which becoming known, the king of the country of Glamor
gan was struck with fear, and earnestly requested the clergy
of the oftmentioned saint, that with the relics, and chest
of the said saint, they would go to meet the king of Reinuc,
and humbly request of him not to inflict any injury on them
undeservedly. When they went with the relics to the
side of the river Neath, one of them climbed up a high tree
with a spotted bell, that from thence he might speak to the
king, for owing to the great flood of water, they could
not pass through the river. Then calling aloud from the top
of the tree, he preached to him respecting the miracles of
the blessed Cadoc; and as he preached, the tree under the
feet of the clergyman, began by degrees to turn towards the
ground, and to make itself passable instead of a bridge, so
that passing over it to the other side of the river he might
discourse with the king face to face.
Which being seen, the aforesaid king conferred the pro
tection of peace on all the country, and then the whole
army becoming pacific, they returned to their respective
habitations. O truly just man, in whom deceit was not
found, he judged no one unjustly, and despised no one. No
person ever saw him greatly rejoicing nor very sorrowful,
except in the hours of prayer, when with tears he offered
prayers to God. Adverse things never dispirited him, nor
did prosperous ones exalt him ; nothing was ever in his
1 Cynan Garwyn succeeded his father, Brochwel Ysgythrog, in the principality of
Powis, about the middle of the seventh century. There is a satirical poem upon Cynan
Garwyn, attributed to Taliesin, which is printed in the Myvyrian Archaiology, I. lb'8. —
Williams's Biographical Dictionary of Eminent Welshmen.
376 LIFE OF SAINT CADOC.
mouth besides Christ, and what belonged to him on account
of obtaining correction; nothing was in is heart but peace,
and patient piety with compassion. He searched daily by
the Holy Spirit the things that were not his own, but those
of Jesus Christ, for he was a chosen templeof the Holy Spirit.
And therefore for all these things, and others like them, he
shines in inaccessible and inestimable eternal glory, which
eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath entered into the
heart of man, in heaven with the Father, and the Son, and
the Holy Ghost, Three in One true God Almighty, to whom
is honour, and glory, virtue and power, fortitude, and govern
ment continuing without end, for ever and ever. AMEN.
No one can relate the miracles performed by Cadoc;
It is because he is not here with his mode of speaking;
Christ, the Creator of the world, will grant pardon,
To him, who wrote a Life with faults, named Lifris.
42. OF THE GENEALOGY OF THE BLESSED CADOC.
The genealogy of the blessed Cadoc arises from the most
noble emperors of Borne, from the time of the incarnation
of Jesus Christ, Augustus Cesar, in whose time Christ was
born, begat Octavianus, Octavianus begat Tiberius, Tiberius
begat Caius, Caius begat Claudius, Claudius begat Vespa
sian, Vespasian begat Titus, Titus begat Domitian, Domi-
tian begat Nero, under whom the apostles Peter and Paul
suffered, Nero begat Trajan, Trajan begat Adrian, Adrian
begat Antonius, Antonius begat Commodus, Commodus
begat Meobus, Meobus begat Severus, Severus begat An
tonius, Antonius begat Aucanus, Aucanus begat Aurelian,
Aurelian begat Alexander, Alexander begat Maximus,
Maximus begat Gordian, Gordian begat Philip, Philip
begat Decius, Decius begat Gallus, Gallus begat Valerian,
Valerian begat Cleopatra, Cleopatra begat Aurelian, Aure
lian begat Titus, Titus begat Probus, Probus begat Carosius,
LIFE OF SAINT CADOC. 377
Carosius begat Dioclesian, who perscuted the Christians
throughout the whole world; for in his time the blessed
martyrs Alban, that is Julian, Aaron, and many others suf
fered. Dioclesian begat Galerius, Galerius begat Constan-
tine the Great the son of Helen, Constantine begat Con-
stantius, Constantius begat Maximianus, with whom the
British soldiers went from Britain, and he slew Gratian the
Roman empe 
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